Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for her reply. I welcome the midlands regional enterprise strategy. I want the Minister to focus on the Laois part of it. We do not want to take a hands-off approach on the IDA. It is funded by the taxpayer and public funds. The Minister is new in the job. I congratulate her and wish her the best of luck in her new role. I want to give the county particular focus. We cannot continue to be forgotten about. When the Tánaiste was Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, she focused on Laois and came down to visit the facilities there. She prioritised certain things she was asked to do locally, which was welcome. I want her to do the same with this. I want her to recognise there is a black hole here in terms of IDA investment. I want her to contact her senior officials in the IDA and ask them to specifically focus on the business parks and facilities we have in the county and to try to use the midlands regional strategy to improve matters.

See this speech in context