Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will prioritise the Shannon development site known as the Askeaton Business Park for development and location by foreign direct investors or indigenous industry to provide valuable and sustainable jobs. [25410/07]

Micheál 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 (FDI) to Ireland and its regions, while Enterprise Ireland is responsible for indigenous industry in the Mid- west region. Shannon Development's remit includes the provision of property solutions to accommodate the FDI and indigenous sectors in the Mid West region. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies, I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others.

The Askeaton site is a Shannon Development-owned land bank, comprising 228 acres situated on the southern bank of the Shannon Estuary. The site has been identified as an important site from a business and employment perspective for both Co. Limerick and the wider Region in the Planning and Land Use Transportation Study, the Mid-West Regional Planning Guidelines and the Limerick County Development Plan.

IDA Ireland works closely with Shannon Development in the promotion and marketing of property solutions, throughout the Mid West, including the Askeaton business park. The site is being actively marketed through IDA's network of overseas offices as a solution for utility intensive projects. The investment projects which IDA Ireland seeks to win are in more advanced higher value sophisticated activities, both manufacturing and services, often related to research activities, requiring high level skills, infrastructure and business services generating more high value products, services and jobs.

Both IDA Ireland and Shannon Development are working closely concerning the provision of a strategic site for the Mid West region and are looking at a number of locations in this regard, including the Askeaton site. This process is ongoing. Shannon Development is also considering other development options for the landbank.

Ultimately decisions regarding where to locate a project, including what areas to visit are taken by investors based on the ability of the locations to support their business needs.