Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs created by the IDA in Thurles, County Tipperary, since a delegation from the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment visited the town in January 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28335/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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IDA Ireland is the agency with responsibility for attracting foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings, or from giving preference to one area over others.

At the end of 2007, the latest date for which figures are available, there were a total of 583 people employed in 4 IDA supported companies in North Tipperary. In line with the National Spatial Strategy, IDA Ireland is committed to balanced regional development and the development of Tipperary North as part of the Mid-West region in collaboration with all the other stakeholders in the region.

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 realising 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.