Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the site in Charleville, a business expansion scheme was developed 15 years ago or more. That spawned more industry around it. IDA Ireland had encouraged us some years ago and indicated that it was in negotiation with Cork County Council to hand over the sites to enable industrial units to be developed, yet, to date, nothing has happened.

The Minister of State was throwing out the question of Birmingham and other cities. I challenge the Minister of State in this regard because Duhallow and the north Cork region have as much to offer as any of those places. The area has a fantastic young educated workforce. Unfortunately, we are exporting that workforce to Dublin and other cities. The Minister of State will know the line about the east coast tipping over into the Irish sea. We have to be serious about balanced regional development. I call on the Minister of State to look seriously at these locations. They may be in IDA Ireland ownership, but are they on the IDA Ireland radar? When last was there a discussion on these properties? When last was there a discussion on how best to utilise these properties for the benefit of the State, IDA Ireland, the companies coming in and the region that supports them?

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