Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

While my party might have some quibble about the wording of the motion tabled by Senator Norris in terms of how it would be implemented, we support the broad thrust of it and, therefore, I formally second his proposed amendment.

I raise an issue which was reported in yesterday's national newspapers on the IDA policy on the location of jobs and industries throughout the country. A parliamentary question tabled by my party colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, elicited the information that the IDA had focused almost exclusively on attracting foreign direct investment into specific areas: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and, to a lesser extent, Limerick. What was more astonishing, and not at all revelatory for those of us who have been fighting the case with the IDA for many years, is that some counties, such as my county of Leitrim, Longford, Wexford – strangely enough – and Roscommon, have received no visits whatsoever from potential foreign direct investors. The argument the IDA put forward in the written reply from the Minister was that it had to take account of the facilities and services that were available and population density.

This is all ráiméis that has been going on ever since the IDA started. It is far past time that the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, came to the House to indicate what Government policy is in terms of dispersal into the regions. I am realistic enough, as is everyone in this House, to know that IDA Ireland cannot force any potential investor to locate in a certain place. However, it is obvious from the answer elicited by Deputy Michael McGrath that it is pursuing a policy of focusing on the main areas of population to the detriment of those in other parts of the country. What was astonishing about the reply was the mention of population. If there are no jobs being created in counties such as Leitrim, Cavan, Longford and Roscommon, as well as other parts of the west, people - particularly young people - have no chance of finding work and they will emigrate. My own daughter is in Australia. Our football team has been decimated. Senators may have read about this in the Irish Independent last week under the headline "The team who disappeared". Of the 31 members of the Leitrim football panel in 2010, 20 are gone. From one parish in my county - Drumreilly outside Ballinamore-----