John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by promoters of inward investment for industrial purposes which have been organised by the IDA in the Waterford City area in each year from 2002 to date in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24245/06]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by promoters of inward investment for industrial purposes which have been organised by the IDA in the Dungarvan area in each year from 2002 to date in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24246/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together.

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 Waterford and Dungarvan, for new or expansion FDI 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 the agency that, from January 2002 to the end of May 2006 there have been thirty nine site visits to Waterford and four site visits to Dungarvan. The tabular statement sets out the number of site visits to each location in each of those years.

The pursuit of the national goal of balanced and sustainable regional development is an important goal for my Department and the agencies under its remit. The National Spatial Strategy provides a framework for this goal wherein the focus is on the Gateway and Hub locations throughout the State. As the Gateway location for the South-East region IDA Ireland is seeking to develop Waterford City as a first-class location for overseas investment with the necessary infrastructure, skills availability and support services capable of attracting investment into Waterford and the entire region.

In Waterford City IDA is actively marketing its new Business & Technology Park on 70 acres on the Cork Road Planning permission is currently being sought to build a second 30,000 sq ft Advance Office Building on the park, now that the first building is occupied by IDA Ireland and Bisys Hedge Fund Services. In addition the agency is developing a major Greenfield site at Belview (3 miles from Waterford City) capable of accommodating large-scale utility intensive industry, most likely in the Pharma and ICT sectors. In Dungarvan, the agency owns 35 acres of land, adjacent to its Industrial Park in the town. Phase 1 of the site development has been completed and the first client has been secured. The profile of Industry in Waterford has been changing over the last few years with companies such as Genzyme, Sun Life and AOL representing investment in the newer knowledge-based industry sectors. Meanwhile, IDA Ireland continues to work its portfolio of existing clients in an effort to encourage them to re invest in the area.

I am confident that the strategies and policies being pursued by these Agencies together with the ongoing commitment by Government to regional development and the National Development Plan will bear fruit in terms of investment and jobs for the people of Waterford, Dungarvan and the region as a whole.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 150 of 14 June 2006, the results of his Department's consultation with southern and eastern regional assembly in regard to the way in which a designated area can qualify under the regional aid guidelines; if an area (details supplied) in County Kildare has been considered in view of the fact that there has been no industrial growth in this area for some time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24247/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Southern & Eastern Regional Assembly accepted the findings of an independent report which it commissioned from the National Institute for Spatial and Regional Analysis, at NUI Maynooth, and proposed that, in addition to the BMW Region and the South East Region, which automatically qualify, the remaining areas to be designated for 2007-2013, should be Clare, Limerick, North Tipperary and Kerry. The regional aid rates currently available in Dublin and the Mid East are already lower than those in all other regions of Ireland. As Dublin and the Mid East continue to enjoy a more favourable economic situation, they cannot qualify for designation, within the permitted population threshold, ahead of other regions.

In relation to industrial development, IDA Ireland is a member of the Athy Investment Forum which is the body responsible for the recent development of the Athy Community Enterprise Centre. Until recently the IDA Advance Factory was occupied by an indigenous Irish company. The company has now vacated the facility and IDA Ireland is actively marketing the facility to potential clients.

Kildare has in recent years attracted some world class manufacturing companies such as Intel, Wyeth Medica, Braun Oral B and Hewlett Packard. At present there are 25 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kildare employing approximately 10,818 people. There are four IDA Ireland assisted companies in Athy alone, employing a total of 425 people. IDA Ireland is working closely with educational institutions in the County, in developing the skill sets necessary to attract high value added employment to the County. IDA Ireland is also working with FAS to provide guidance in developing the skill set needed by those already in the workforce who are interested in upskilling.

Since the beginning of 2003 Enterprise Ireland has approved over €12m and made payments of over €4.4 in support to companies in Kildare to help them grow their sales and exports and improve innovation and new product development in order that they can compete on world markets. Enterprise Ireland supported the development of the Athy Community Enterprise Centre on a Greenfield site at Woodstock Industrial Estate in Athy under its Community Enterprise Centre Programme 2002, contributing €300,000 in capital funding. The centre is a state of the art building of 12,500 sq. ft. divided into 20 commercial units. When fully operational the centre which is already 80% occupied will house at least 40 people. In addition Enterprise Ireland has supported the development of Community Enterprise Centres in County Kildare, at Allenwood and Clane, under previous CEC programmes.

Kildare has benefited from a significant investment in recent years in the technological infrastructure in NUI Maynooth. This will be the key to ensuring that Kildare is an attractive location for knowledge-based industry in future years. Enterprise Ireland has made a particular effort to ensure that Maynooth continues to develop strong links with industry in the region. To support innovation partnerships with industry, Enterprise Ireland approved funding approved of over €2.2 million in support of 50 projects to NUI Maynooth during the period beginning 2003 to date as well as making payments of over €2.3 million.