Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

During Leaders' Questions last week, the Taoiseach described to me improvements in foreign direct investment, FDI, job creation into the south-east region. I can find no reference to his data. What I can find shows national IDA Ireland jobs growth of 6% but lacklustre growth in the south-east region of just 1.6%. Despite having 9% of the population, the south east has just 5% of IDA Ireland jobs and a mere 4.5% of IDA Ireland-supported companies in the region. That amounts to over 9,500 missing jobs. This deficit has more than doubled in the past decade, indicating a regional payroll loss of over €650 million annually. I have asked the Taoiseach before and I am asking the Tánaiste now if the Government will consider setting up and funding a structure akin to the Western Development Commission for the south-east region. This would allow the region to develop significant applied economic and demographic research to support cohesive regional strategic planning and development. This strategy has proven itself in the north west. Surely it is time the south east, the most underperforming region in the country, is similarly supported.

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