Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I would absolutely support Deputy Fleming in what he set out, those 30 ha and the critical importance of an advance factory unit or a building solution unit because we know that it shortens lead time for investors. When you are bringing someone on site and you have a ready-made building, or the consent agreed for a building, it makes a difference. We will absolutely work with the Deputy on that. I know from my town, Mullingar, that it can be very difficult at times to secure good, high-quality investments from the IDA, and I feel the Deputy's pain in trying to get additional clients in, but I am absolutely here to work with him on that journey. As he points out, the Leprino site is very highly regulated. I have met with the IDA on a number of occasions in respect of it and met the management in Leprino to try to ensure that it is doing everything to get a good prospectus together in order that we can try to get a replacement into what is a very highly regulated site. I know Portlaoise and Laois very well. The housing increases there have been very significant. You can see as you drive through the town progress at every corner. The town's connectivity, road and rail, is exceptional. We are very happy to work with the Deputy on that.

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