Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for that overview of the midlands region but I am sure he will understand if I speak about Laois in particular. At the end of last year, there were 8,045 IDA-supported jobs in the midlands. Laois has 30% of the population of the midland counties but has only 1.8% of the IDA-supported jobs in the area. If one looks at the county-by-county list produced by the IDA, one sees that Laois has 145 IDA-supported jobs. It is a disgrace. I say that publicly. The total of 145 is, by a mile, the lowest of any county in the country even though the services in Laois are as good and as available as anywhere else.

I was very worried by the Minister's statement. I would ask him to introduce the IDA to County Laois and to arrange a meeting for the TDs and the chief executive of Laois County Council on this. I was especially worried when the Minister said that the IDA wanted to partner with existing FDI investments that were already up and running in the midlands region and nationwide because that means it would exclude Laois. The county does not have those investments. It is remarkable that the Laois figure is so low.

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