Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

IDA Ireland is quite benign about the prospects for Mayo in coming years. As I outlined, it has taken decisions regarding the development of business parks, for which the total amount invested will be €11 million by the end of 2005. IDA Ireland is currently at an advanced stage in the acquisition of 27 acres of land on the Sligo Road in Ballina for the development of a high quality business and technology park. Planning permission has recently been approved for the site development and IDA Ireland is finalising the purchase of the site from Mayo County Council, at which point tenders will be invited from the private sector for site development works. It is expected this work will commence in 2005. This is an important infrastructure for Ballina, which will enable IDA Ireland to attract companies into a fully serviced and developed site of world-class quality.

Likewise, a 16-acre state-of-the-art business and technology park has been fully developed at Castlebar and is being actively promoted by IDA Ireland. In Westport, IDA Ireland has acquired 37 acres of land where it plans to develop a new business and technology park. Work is in progress on site development there and it is anticipated that the first phase will be completed by mid-2005.

These developments represent tangible evidence of the commitment of IDA Ireland and the Government — it is the Government which funds all this — to Mayo.

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