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

The Government offers greater aid in these regions. Under the regional aid guidelines, the Government is allowed to provide aid at a higher level in certain regions and in the recent negotiations at European Union level, the Government succeeded in getting new regions within that ambit that were areas of high unemployment. Consequently, higher supports are available. The Government has also taken an initiative in, for example, Athlone where it has built an advanced manufacturing facility because it recognises that regions need facilities. Similar initiatives have been taken in Letterkenny and in Waterford. The Department is active in this regard and is understanding of the need to drive a greater spread on multinational investment. However, I should also note that in most regions, 95% of the employment is not in IDA-sponsored companies. While much regional focus tends to be on the 5% that is IDA-sponsored, I regard the 95% of employment that is not to be just as important and the Department seeks to work with such employers through Enterprise Ireland, the local enterprise offices and so on. That is the intention of the regional enterprise strategy, namely, to look right across the spectrum of multinational and nationally-owned enterprise.

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