Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of visits the IDA have made to Navan, County Meath to date in 2007; if he will provide a progress report on the creation of employment opportunities for Navan by his Department and agencies under his control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25056/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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State support for enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies. While I may give general policy directives to the development agencies, I am precluded, under the Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that to date in 2007 the Agency has sponsored two site visits by prospective overseas investors to Navan.

The development agencies are actively marketing the Mid East Gateway Region, including Navan, in order to attract new investment, to encourage the start up of new business, to grow existing business and to develop the labour market in Meath in support of relevant economic objectives as outlined in the Meath County Development Plan.

The Government is committed to achieving balanced regional development and a key regional objective included in the NDP is to support the creation of conditions necessary to extend the process of employment and productivity growth in higher value added functions to all regions. In that regard, we have made significant progress in working towards maintaining and enhancing our framework competitive conditions, and promoting new areas of competitive advantage, by developing our R&D base, investing in critical physical and communications infrastructures and, promoting tertiary education and lifelong learning. Clearly the strategies set out in the new National Development Plan, which support the continued implementation of these policies, will play a crucial role in maintaining the attractiveness of the regions as investment locations.

It is vital that national investment is partnered with local vision and leadership and that private investment also plays a role. In this regard, I particularly welcomed the launch last year of the Meath Skills Database, an initiative of the County Council, together with the industrial development agencies, to promote Meath as an attractive business location and to eliminate wasteful commuting. Meath is proving an ideal location for Dublin-based firms wishing to expand their operations as there is good infrastructure and a readily available workforce.

The announcement by Quinn-direct Insurance to create up to 1000 jobs to support the company's international development is a welcome boost to Navan and the surrounding towns, as up to 700 of these jobs will be located at a new facility in Navan. These high-value jobs will be created over the next five years. The inter-agency co-operation between Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Meath County Council made this project possible.

I am confident that the continued co-operation between the Agencies together with the roll out of the National Development Plan will continue to bear fruit in terms of job creation and investment for the people of County Meath