Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The reality is that County Mayo is falling behind. We have many excellent companies located in the county and we are proud to host them. Their success has been on the basis of the fantastic labour force we have. However, despite our track record and level of success, only 23 of a total of 3,289 IDA Ireland client visits undertaken between 2011 and 2017 were to County Mayo and the county has not attracted a new IDA Ireland supported company in many years. The Minister mentioned the property solution in Castlebar. We also have one in Ballina but it is not being marketed extensively or built on. The alliance of food and healthcare companies is not being marketed sufficiently. I referred to yesterday's announcement of €29 million for a regional enterprise development fund. Not one investment was based in Mayo, although a very small part of the Sligo investment was in Mayo. We have corresponded with the Minister about the disruptive technologies innovation fund, in respect of which a very successful Mayo company submitted an application concerning a new technology which was turned down. Údarás na Gaeltachta is crying out for capital investment and we have made this a feature of our budgets. Many good things are happening on the back of people in County Mayo working hard, but a great many Mayo people want an opportunity to return home. Inaction on the part of the Minister's Department means they are not getting that opportunity. We need new investment in IDA Ireland companies and our fantastic team at the Mayo local enterprise office. If they had more resources, they could do an awful lot more.

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