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

Clearly, any decision by Bank of Ireland in America of this business is one that it takes. We take every opportunity to seek to ensure we protect the employment there. I met senior executives of Bank of America only a few months ago to again take the opportunity to stress that. We make every effort to promote the employment package in Carrick-on-Shannon and to try to protect those jobs but ultimately it is the company that will decide the timing of sales and that decision.

In respect of the wider IDA regional development, we recognise that generally the midlands and that area has been a difficult one and one of the decisions taken this year, as I indicated, was to build in Athlone. That is the first time in many years the IDA has started to build facilities. It is based on our belief that there is a competitive edge in the region and that we can build there.

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