Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If we want to have a debate about regional development, we have to focus on the competitive advantage of a region. Having the debate about how we develop a regional strategy in the way the Deputy seeks to focus, which is on new emerging companies which, as he knows, are predominantly in the digital space, the expectation is that they will get a regional spread and that there will be one in different towns and villages but that is not a realistic expectation. To develop an enterprise strategy for a region, one must look at where the strengths are. One of the reasons we are doing very well regionally this year is that we have developed food, tourism and strong sectors will a traditional connection to regional areas.

The Deputy's question wants to look at the 78 new name companies but, as I indicated, they are predominantly in the very high-tech sector. The spread is 55 in Dublin, eight in Cork, five in Limerick, two in Waterford and one each in Cavan, Louth, Wexford, Galway, Kerry, Westmeath, Laois and Sligo.

These are very welcome additions and we seek to achieve a spread based upon them, but a regional strategy must be built on much more than that and must include developing entrepreneurship within that region in areas where that region can build a long-term sustainable capability. That is the debate on which we need to focus as well as the important strategic nature of foreign direct investment.

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