John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

He said the number of IDA-owned premises is reducing in comparison with recent years. There is always scope for the local authority and county enterprise board, with the local chamber of commerce, to propose plans and initiatives for vacant buildings or sites. It is important that local authorities zone the appropriate amount of land to ensure it is available for businesses. Recently in County Carlow, Merck Sharp & Dohme was attracted to a location because it had 23 acres of land and buildings available and the backing of a nearby third level facility. These facilities brought in that business. We need to examine the possible options available to enterprise boards, Enterprise Ireland and IDA to ensure we can continue economic growth and job replacement to meet the challenge of outside factors.

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