Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Industrial Development

11:00 pm

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of visits to a town (details supplied) in County Galway arranged by the IDA for potential foreign direct investors, industrial developers or potential locating multinationals in each year since 2000; the level of priority for investment purposes given to the town by comparison with other towns in Galway. [11960/06]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas, including Loughrea, for new or expansion foreign direct investment investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. While I may give general policy directives to the agency, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that in the period 2000 to 2005 there have been a total of three site visits to Loughrea, one visit in each of the years 2001, 2002 and 2003.

A central goal for IDA Ireland is the achievement of balanced regional development. The national spatial strategy provides a framework for the achievement of this goal through the prioritisation of development and investment in the gateway and hub locations. On this basis, IDA Ireland seeks to attract foreign direct investment into the gateways and hubs, as well as a small number of additional locations, throughout the west, namely, Galway, Tuam, the linked hub of Ballina and Castlebar, Westport and Ballinasloe. IDA Ireland's sectoral emphasis is on attracting new knowledge intensive projects in medical technologies, life sciences, information communications and technology and international services.

With specific regard to Loughrea, IDA Ireland has informed me that it is actively working with the existing base of overseas companies in the county and in Loughrea to encourage them to grow and expand. Indeed, Loughrea has benefited very significantly from the Cigna Corporation, particularly from the company's 220-job expansion announced in 2003. These jobs are now coming on stream and, as a result, the company is now one of the largest IDA Ireland supported international services companies in the west.

Despite increasing competition, County Galway continues to be very successful in winning foreign direct investment. IDA supported employment numbers in Galway are very strong, now accounting for almost 10,000 permanent jobs. I am confident, therefore, that the strategies and policies being pursued by IDA Ireland in Loughrea and in County Galway in general, together with the ongoing commitment by Government to regional development, will continue to bear fruit in terms of overseas investment and jobs for the people of Loughrea and the county of Galway as a whole.

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