Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

The Opposition spokesman on finance in the Dáil extrapolated very important information from the remarks of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. It covered the IDA-sponsored visits to all counties and regions. It clearly underpins and illustrates the criticism made in this House with regard to the neglect of the south-east region by IDA Ireland. The figures are of major concern, not only in my county, Wexford, where there was but one visit in the past three years. A number of the industries established in Wexford in the past decade came not just because of encouragement by IDA Ireland but also because of connections that senior people in the industries concerned had with the county. The family of Mr. Donald Keough, a former CEO of Coca Cola, came from Wexford and he had a big influence on the decision to locate in the county. There are other companies located there for the same reason. What is occurring is not good enough. Even Waterford, the gateway to the region, enjoys fewer than half of the visits enjoyed by all other regional centres. This is totally unacceptable. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to the House to debate this issue. I hope he will agree with me that when the rationalisation or restructuring of IDA Ireland took place, the movement of the office from Waterford to Cork was a retrograde step for the south-east region. That is what has led to what is happening now. At the time of relocation many of us forecast this outcome. My county has traditionally been at the top of the unemployment league. Therefore, I find what is occurring totally unacceptable. I appeal to my colleagues in the Oireachtas from the south-east region to combine on an all-party basis to fight for the region. It is our obligation to do so in response to the trust citizens of the area have placed in us as their public representatives.