Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy knows, the IDA is going to market the Aptar site to alternative investors. The Deputy is correct that the 50 acres to which he refers is a valuable piece of land that can be developed for industry and employment. Ballinasloe has a lot of assets, including good transport links.

I would have to talk to the IDA about the HSE lands. The IDA acts autonomously and, as a Minister, I am always cautious about getting involved in land deals or transactions or commercial transactions in any way, though I appreciate any deal in this case would be between two public bodies. I will certainly speak to the CEO of the IDA about that matter.

The Deputy asked about advance factories or advance building solutions, as the IDA likes to call them. These have been a real success down the years. People often complain that the IDA does not do enough site visits in their area but there must be something in the area to show somebody. An advance building solution is such a thing. Eleven have been built and seven are now occupied. As part of the IDA strategy that we will approve in January, we propose to build more of those around the country but I cannot give the locations today.

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