Dáil debates

Thursday, 3 November 2016

5:05 pm

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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14. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is satisfied with the current number of vacant IDA Ireland properties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33010/16]

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Is the Minister satisfied with the number of vacant IDA properties around the country, in view of the information she supplied to me in reply to a recent parliamentary question?

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am satisfied that IDA Ireland must maintain an adequate supply of marketable serviced land and buildings. The ready availability of property in advance of demand is critical to IDA Ireland’s ability to compete for mobile foreign direct investment. That is particularly the case, given the increasingly competitive global foreign direct investment market and in the context of the result of the UK referendum on EU membership. If IDA Ireland did not have available properties to offer prospective investors, it would significantly diminish the agency’s capacity to attract and win new investments, especially in regional areas. Its regional property programme aims to ensure suitable properties are available outside Dublin by investing €150 million in the provision of buildings and sites in designated regional locations. The portfolio of properties held by IDA Ireland is dynamic and changes to meet industry needs as they emerge. The number of available properties also depends on the level of demand from investor companies. Of course, it is important to mention that the agency also helps to provide property solutions for Enterprise Ireland clients. The objective is always to ensure companies are connected with the right property in the right place in order that the business concerned can thrive and jobs can be created.

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I am not sure how the Minister can say she is happy that IDA Ireland must maintain so many vacant sites. It is a staggering figure - 85 properties out of a total of 137 are vacant, or almost two of every three properties. These properties were not acquired in the recent or even the medium-term past. They have been vacant for a long period. Given that 94% of the 137 properties are located outside the Dublin area, there is a huge opportunity to address the two-tier recovery, regional imbalance which we have discussed throughout this session and earlier. Will the Minister and the Department undertake a specific task or initiative to address the issue?

The Minister mentioned she had an increase of €53 million in her capital budget. What specific plan is out there? Apart from just mentioning IDA Ireland and EI, can we have a specific plan or initiative from the Minister, her Department and those agencies to address the vacant sites? They are under-utilised and their potential to address the imbalance in regional development is not being harnessed.

5:15 pm

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I made the point that when there are available properties and sites, it gives choice to foreign direct investment companies that would be interested in locating in Ireland. At the end of last year, the total number of available sites was 85. The most recent information IDA Ireland provided to me last April was that there were 21 vacant IDA Ireland-owned properties. I can forward the details from the agency to the Deputy if he wishes.

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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There is a major contradiction in what the Minister is saying. She stated that having vacant sites available gave potential FDI companies a choice. However, such companies are not exercising the option of taking up these sites. This is the point I am trying to get across to the Minister. We need a specific initiative to try to target companies - FDI or indigenous - and get them into these sites. In an earlier exchange, the Minister said she hoped to visit Limerick and that she had more in the pipeline for the city, which is welcome. I ask the Minister to step outside Limerick city and come to my constituency, where there is a vacant site at Askeaton, a former Shannon Development site. Whether it is under the auspices of IDA Ireland or Shannon Commercial Properties is irrelevant. Can the Minister come and see these vacant sites? They have been available for years and nothing is happening. Something must happen and we need a specific initiative.

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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To clarify, there are 21 IDA Ireland properties and 85 sites. When we have choice, especially in conjunction with the regional Action Plan for Jobs, it gives IDA Ireland an opportunity to bring FDI to the areas. Clare has had 13 site visits and the mid-west and Limerick had 39, as I mentioned earlier, to the end of the third quarter. I will talk to IDA Ireland. Although I would love to see FDI in every town and village, it will not happen. I do not decide; the companies decide where they want to locate.