Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Creating more jobs in the regions is a priority for IDA Ireland and my Department. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and I will focus on doing everything we can in the fairest possible way to spread the investment across the country. The Government is working to ensure a more even distribution of foreign direct investment across the country. Last year, IDA Ireland delivered 99 regional investments, with 45% of new jobs created outside Dublin. The last three years have seen 30,000 new foreign direct investment jobs created outside Dublin. The availability of marketable serviced land and buildings in advance of demand is an important element of IDA Ireland's ability to compete for mobile foreign direct investment. Such a supply of properties helps the agency to secure job-rich investment and allows projects to begin at an earlier date by diminishing many of the difficulties associated with land acquisition, planning and construction. It is important because it enables IDA Ireland to encourage and attract new investors to Ireland, particularly to the regions.

I am informed that IDA Ireland owns 30 properties across the country, 13 of which are occupied by its clients with the other 17 being available for prospective or existing investors. IDA Ireland's regional property programme remains an important tool for encouraging investors to locate in areas outside Dublin. This programme is targeted at ensuring an adequate supply of marketable serviced land, offices and industrial and manufacturing buildings is readily available in advance of demand from existing and potential client companies. The programme includes the construction of nine new advance facilities around the country. Buildings have been completed in Castlebar, Tralee and Sligo as part of this programme. IDA Ireland is continuing to roll out its building programme across the country, with new buildings planned in Carlow, Dundalk, Limerick, Galway, Athlone and Waterford over the next two years. I am confident that the regional property programme, which has already helped to generate employment in the regions, will help to secure further investment in the years ahead.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Site visits represent a valuable tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in regional areas. IDA Ireland always does its utmost to ensure overseas firms consider all potential locations when visiting Ireland. This is in line with the priority that has been placed on investment outside our main cities. The agency is continuing to target an increase of 30% to 40% in foreign direct investment in every region of the country by the end of its current strategy in 2019. While site visits can help to highlight the benefits of the regions to IDA Ireland's client companies, we need to remember that the final decision on where to invest always rests with the firm concerned. Some companies are only intent on investing in urban areas for a variety of commercial reasons. It should not be forgotten that site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential. At least 70% of all new foreign direct investment comes from existing IDA Ireland client companies. There were 66 site visits across Ireland, excluding Dublin, in the first three months of 2018. IDA Ireland will continue to bring new and existing clients to potential investment locations all over the country.

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