Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am going to read out some figures to the Minister regarding IDA visits to Cavan and Monaghan from 2012 to 2016. I have to read them into the record because they are so appalling. In Cavan in 2012 we had three visits, in 2013 we had two visits, in 2014 we had one, in 2015 we had zero and in 2016 we had two. Monaghan, similarly, had zero in 2012, one in 2013, zero in 2014, two in 2015 and two visits in 2016.

Out of 636 total visits nationwide in 2016, Cavan and Monaghan had only two IDA site visits each while Dublin alone had 284. I know the Minister will say the companies decide where they want to go and all the rest but there seriously has to be a concentrated emphasis on making a special case for the Border counties.

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