Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister avoided answering the question, that is, whether additional funding will be provided to LEOs in counties where they are not successful in bringing significant numbers of FDI jobs into the region and ensure that they will not be left short-changed until the end of the year. The current popular IDA job locations will get more jobs over the next five years, to the detriment of towns like Ballinasloe, Roscommon, Boyle, Ballaghaderreen and Castlerea. A lot of the locations investors look at are chosen before they arrive in Ireland.

I ask the Minister to make funding for a specific initiative available, namely, to provide expertise and support to smaller provincial towns so that they can properly promote and highlight what they have to offer prospective investors so that they are at least on the pitch when investors are considering coming to Ireland and the regions.

See this speech in context