Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

We all accept the vagaries of the international market, that negotiations are delicate and that landmark projects of this nature sometimes do not proceed. If Amgen is retaining ownership of the site, the people of the region will want to know why it is doing so when they have postponed the project twice. Is the Minister continuing negotiations with Amgen? Will Amgen make a final decision on its intentions in a reasonable time? The people of the region want to know where Amgen is going? If it does not locate within the site will someone else do so?

Given that €4 million has been expended to attract this industry, a legitimate question hangs over the use of taxpayers' money to attract industry. The Amgen project could be used as a benchmark for foreign direct investment projects throughout the country and for global trends in industries of that nature. If the global financial and economic infrastructure is changing and Amgen can make a sudden decision of this nature, questions must be posed regarding the nature of foreign direct investment throughout Ireland. That is why we are asking these questions.

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