Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Industrial Development

9:15 pm

Photo of Joe FlahertyJoe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree that "advanced building solution" is not the best term. I am old enough to remember when we referred to such premises as advanced factories, which probably made more sense. It is very good that IDA Ireland is committed to such a facility for Longford but it would be a missed opportunity if we allowed it to take the easiest solution by simply acquiring the lands owned by the county council in the immediate vicinity of the Abbott site. What Longford really needs is to get the advanced building solution up and running before 2024 in order that we can actively market it. We hope that, in tandem, Abbott will expand its own operation on the lands that adjoin its property.

I know the Tánaiste had extensive discussions on this matter with local council officials last week and has undertaken to follow up with similar discussions with the CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan, with a view to prioritising the securing of a site in Longford town. The message for IDA Ireland from Longford, which I am sure the Tánaiste will pass on for us, is that it needs to be ambitious for the town. There is a great opportunity for us to get an additional FDI facility. As I said, we have 1,700-plus FDI jobs at the moment. There is a real opportunity to attract more and I urge the Tánaiste to pursue that objective aggressively with IDA Ireland.

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