Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. The objectives of this regional enterprise plan are to be lauded. I want to focus on Tipperary town, which is a black spot in my county for employment. I have to be critical of the IDA. Zoned land is extremely scarce in that town and we have a number of employers in the town who are seriously under pressure for space to expand. The IDA has sold off some of its portfolio but still had a small portion of land in the town. When the county council endeavoured to negotiate on the behalf of the industries in the town that needed this land as they were extremely short of space in their present premises, the IDA's response was to put the land up for sale and public auction. The land has no services or infrastructure to it, and the end result is that we have employers in the town thinking of relocating.

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