Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the future use of the former NEC plant site at Ballivor, County Meath; the number of interested parties who visited the site in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7878/08]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the Industrial Development Authority has considered taking over the former NEC plant site at Ballivor, County Meath in order to promote local employment opportunities in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7879/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together.

IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas 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 Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others.

Since the announcement of the closure of NEC, IDA Ireland has promoted Ballivor as a priority location within the Eastern Region. The Agency continues to work closely with both Enterprise Ireland and Meath County Council with a view to securing a new project for the NEC site and developing initiatives to market Meath, as a whole. Indeed, I am glad to say that a significant number of former NEC employees have found alternative employment with IDA supported industries in the Midlands and East.

As Ireland competes for investments at the highest end of the value chain the concept of scale is crucial to our economic destiny. Leading corporations require a significant population of highly qualified talent, effective physical and digital infrastructure coupled with availability of sophisticated professional support services. If we are to continue being successful in realizing a large proportion of our investments outside of the larger cities, all economic and social stakeholders will need to adhere to the framework on which the NSS is constructed. Future thinking and action must have a regional rather than a local bias and this requires a significant change in mindset.

Although the Agency introduced 3 potential investors to the NEC management in Ballivor during 2006, there have been no site visits to the area by potential investors in the past 12 months. Decisions as to where to visit are ultimately a matter for the investor.

As regards the NEC site, this property is still in the hands of NEC and the Company has not approached IDA in relation to IDA taking over the facility in Ballivor. In Meath, IDA Ireland has 28 hectares (70 acres) of serviced industrial lands available at IDA Navan Business Park, where six IDA projects are located. In addition, there is a new 24 hectares (60 acre) Business Park under development at Drogheda though located technically in Co. Meath. The Agency is also developing a Business & Technology Park in Mullingar. All of these sites are within commuting distance of Ballivor.