Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a question the Tánaiste and I are asked in every county we visit. Regional development remains a priority for the Government. I am very much aware that an important part of unlocking the potential of regional Ireland is ensuring that foreign direct investment, FDI, is spread as evenly as possible across the country, as per Government policy. IDA Ireland is committed to increasing FDI in each region, and I welcome the progress made so far in boosting FDI-driven job creation outside of the main urban areas. In 2016, for example, more than half of all IDA Ireland-supported jobs created were based outside of Dublin.

There have been 507 site visits to date this year, up by 18 from the same point last year. While site visits can be a useful indicator of new investment interest, they are not by any means indicative of the potential for FDI in an area.  It is important to note that at least 70% of investment comes from existing IDA Ireland clients. While the agency always highlights the benefits of investing in the regions to prospective investors, determining which particular sites may be attractive to a client depends very much on the particular requirements of the firm concerned. Factors overseas investors take into account include the suitability of local infrastructure, the proximity of transport hubs and the availability of skilled talent. Multinational companies frequently seek to base themselves as close as possible to businesses operating in the same industry. IDA Ireland continues to work with all stakeholders and potential clients, as well as working with existing clients in all regional locations, to generate additional jobs. However, the final decision on where to locate an investment is always decided by the client and not by IDA Ireland.

There are 17 buildings owned by IDA Ireland that are currently available. In addition, the agency leases units from private investors, of which 24 are currently available.

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