Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. If 145 people are employed in IDA-backed companies in Laois, that is actually a decline of nine from the last figures. It is very disappointing. As question has to be asked about why Laois is being ignored time and again. I know everybody will back his or her own corner but I think if one looks at the map of the 26 counties and at the number of IDA-backed jobs in various counties, Laois is way down at the bottom despite the fact that it has that excellent infrastructure and a huge workforce that is commuting out of the county. The location is the best I can see outside of Dublin and other people remarked on that as well.

I want the Minister of State to bring this to the senior Minister, Deputy Burke's attention. Why is Laois being ignored time and again? What is the IDA doing about developing the 50-acre site that it owns on the edge of Portlaoise? Nothing has happened there yet. What is the IDA doing, along with Enterprise Ireland, to get a replacement industry into the Leprino factory? It is a new plant and was only in production for four years. We had great hopes for it. There needs to be support from the Department for the workers in terms of transitioning.

Overall, I am giving the Minister of State and the Government a message because it is the Government that funds these bodies. I do not have a problem with that, but we need jobs. I agree with that but the IDA and Enterprise Ireland need to up their game. We need to see that, the same as everybody else, taxpayers' money from people in County Laois gives people bang for their buck. Two visits in a year is an awful record for a State-backed body and it needs to change.

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