Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of new FDIs opened in the mid-west region since 2002, broken down by year, county, company name, address and number of employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31866/07]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of visits and on-site inspections of potential locations in the mid-west by FDI companies since 2002, which were arranged by his Department and the State development agencies, broken down by year, county and location address; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31867/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 89 together.

For IDA purposes the mid west region consists of the counties Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary excluding the Shannon Free Zone. Since 2002 there have been 7 new IDA supported projects opened in the Mid West region and 6 new FDI projects opened in the Shannon Free Zone. Details of each of those projects and their location is set out in the attached tabular statement. This statement does not include the numbers employed in individual companies as this information is confidential to the companies.

In the same period there have been a total of 170 IDA-led visits by potential investors to the Mid West region and 76 visits to the Shannon Free Zone. Details of these visits are set out in the attached tabular statement. IDA Ireland has statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to the Mid West region, except for the Shannon Free Zone, which falls within the remit of Shannon Development. Both Shannon Development and IDA Ireland work closely within the promotion and marketing of these tailored property solutions. Limerick-Shannon has been designated as the Gateway for the region under the National Spatial Strategy. The Mid West has a strong base of overseas companies which are mainly located in Limerick, (Raheen and the National Technology Park), and the Shannon Free Zone. State supported employment accounts for 17.3% of total employment in the Region as compared to 14.8% nationally.

I am satisfied that the continued co-operation between the agencies, together with the roll out of the National Development Plan, will continue to bear fruit for the Mid West region as a whole.