Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome this really important news, although the next steps are crucial. For many years, Kildare has lacked a strategic landbank that we could advertise and sell to FDI and even indigenous Irish companies with significant employment opportunities. We have looked with envy across our border at South Dublin County Council and Greenogue, as well as Carlow's MSD plant. They create plenty of employment for our residents in Kildare but we want those opportunities. This significant investment by IDA Ireland, using State funds to buy this landbank, is absolutely crucial to us.

The Minister of State is correct that this comes on the back of strategic investment by the Government in the upgrading of the M7 motorway, which cost €110 million, and the expansion of the Newbridge interceptor sewer. The Barrow abstraction scheme will give us a secure supply of water. We need a second bridge for Newbridge, which will help alleviate our traffic congestion problems in the town. The greatest asset we have, beyond all those pieces of infrastructure that have seen investment by the Government, is our residents in Kildare South, who are skilled and well-educated. They do not want to be stuck on the M7 and M50 commuting back and forth. We want that improved quality of life. Will the Minister of State encourage his Department and IDA Ireland to work directly with Kildare County Council, the local enterprise office and us as local public representatives to market this site and get the investment into Kildare as soon as possible?

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