Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am well aware that companies ultimately make their own decisions. I am also aware that the companies already here expand and make up a large proportion of the investment. Ultimately, companies that do come here have to be shown specific locations. There is no hidden agenda here. I have had direct experience in helping to get IDA Ireland into my own county. I was directly involved with First Data, the announcement in respect of which was massive for our county. I intervened and, as a result, we got Amneal into Cashel. I am working in a number of other areas at the moment. My real issue is that we can go out and explain to people that there is no hidden agenda and that IDA Ireland is doing its best for the regions. However, we could then look at the data, see a lack of investment in some regional areas, realise that €150 million has been put aside for investment in buildings under IDA Ireland's programme and the Action Plan for Jobs and identify the fact that some of the locations that should be targeted for investment have not been targeted. People then become concerned that the criteria are not fair and perceive that FDI clients, potential or current, are not being pushed towards the areas in which we need this investment most. We need to show some transparency and ensure that the public can have confidence, because it is not always backed up by the statistics or the capital funding that is available because it is being pushed into areas that already have FDI.

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