John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will make two points. First, my contact within IDA Ireland is a conscientious chap and it bothers him to think that all this money is being wasted every year. He made the point to me that in respect of some premises around the country that were taken on 15, 16 or 17 years ago, IDA Ireland now acknowledges it has no hope of introducing multinational companies into those areas because of their locations, but it is tied into these leases for another five or six years, which is a cost to the taxpayer.

Second, in opposition we are often accused of not offering alternatives or making critical analyses, but at a time when new businesses, charitable organisations and youth groups are struggling, how can it be the case that half of all IDA Ireland premises, some of which have been lying idle for 15 years, may still be lying idle in five or ten years' time at a huge cost to the taxpayer? In the current economic circumstances, as the person in IDA Ireland told me, we can ill afford to waste €10, let alone €2.5 million, every year on empty premises when we could be helping out the people in this country.

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