Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 296: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits to County Mayo conducted by IDA Ireland in 2007 and to date in 2008 (details supplied). [19831/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of visits hosted by IDA Ireland by potential investors to an area (details supplied) in 2007 and to date in 2008; and the outcome of those visits. [19832/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 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.

In the period January 2007 to date, there have been 3 site visits to Mayo, 2 in 2007 to both Westport and Castlebar and one in 2008 to Westport. To date none of these visits has resulted in the establishment of an industry in County Mayo. Discussions with existing or prospective client companies are an operational matter for the Agency and are treated as confidential. While IDA Ireland seeks to influence the selection of location, the final decision on location is taken in all cases by the promoting company.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 298: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of people employed in IDA supported companies in a location (details supplied). [19833/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are clients of the industrial development agencies. Information is aggregated on an annual basis at county level. The survey shows that for 2007 there were 3,004 people employed in IDA supported companies in County Mayo.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 299: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the industry focus of IDA Ireland in attracting new foreign direct investment to an area (details supplied). [19834/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, 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. 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.

A central goal for IDA Ireland is the achievement of balanced regional development. The National Spatial Strategy provides a framework for achievement of this goal through the prioritization of development and investment in the gateway and hub locations. On this basis, IDA Ireland seeks to attract Foreign Direct Investment into the gateways and hubs, as well as a small number of additional locations, throughout the West, and particularly in Mayo through the linked hubs of Ballina and Castlebar, and Westport. IDA Ireland's sectorial emphasis in Co Mayo is on attracting new knowledge intensive projects in the Medical Technologies, Life Sciences, Information Communications Technology and International Services sectors.

In addition, the Agency works with its existing base of overseas companies in County Mayo to encourage them to grow and expand. A notable success of this strategy was the announcement, in November 2007, by Baxter International Inc, a world leading healthcare company, in November 2007, that it intended, with IDA support, to invest more than €75 million over a six year period as part of a strategic programme to introduce new technologies and higher value products to its manufacturing plants in Castlebar and Swinford, Co. Mayo. This investment will establish a development and innovation capability, enhance therapies for the treatment of patients with renal failure, introduce new generation manufacturing processes, up-grade existing manufacturing facilities and advanced drug delivery and packaging systems and provide for extensive re-skilling of the existing workforce.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 300: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will ascertain from IDA Ireland, the assets held by it in the quest for further overseas investment in an area (details supplied). [19835/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio including the purchase of land and the creation of business parks, are day-to-day operational matters for the agency and not matters in which I have a function. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that it owns a total of 63.21 hectares of land in County Mayo, of which 14.82 hectares are unused and currently being marketed. The tabular statement sets out the location of the individual properties.

In addition, the Agency own two buildings in County Mayo, a 335 m2 cluster unit in Ballina and a 540 m2 factory unit in Charlestown. The unit in Ballina is occupied at present while the Agency's Property Marketing Department is currently involved in sale negotiations on the unit in Charlestown. IDA Ireland also holds a 35 year lease on a 2,603 m2 Factory in Ballina which the Agency has sublet since 1992 to an Enterprise Ireland company.