Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 232: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by the Industrial Development Authority to Mallow, County Cork; the initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to Mallow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31215/08]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 233: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by the Industrial Development Authority to Mitchelstown, County Cork; the initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to Mitchelstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31216/08]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 237: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by the Industrial Development Authority to Fermoy, County Cork; the initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to Fermoy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31220/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 232, 233 and 237 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.

I have been informed by the Agency that to date in 2008, there have been no site visits by potential investors to either Mallow, Michelstown or Fermoy. While IDA Ireland can and does encourage clients to visit particular locations, the final decision on where to visit or locate is taken in all cases by the clients.

In line with the National Spatial Strategy, IDA Ireland is focused on delivering investments to all of the Gateway and Hub locations. Mallow is a hub town. Through its network of overseas offices, the Agency is marketing the North Cork region which includes the towns of Mallow, Kanturk, Charleville, Newmarket, Millstreet, Fermoy and Mitchelstown to prospective investors across the full range of IDA targeted sectors, such as Pharmaceuticals, Medical Technologies, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and Internationally Traded Services.

In June 2007 Sanmina-SCI, a leading electronics contract manufacturer, announced it is to undertake a €30 million investment for the transformation of its Fermoy facility into a manufacturing and design Centre-of-Excellence for the medical industry. Up to 50 highly skilled engineering and other professional positions will be created as a result. It will also consolidate the existing employment in Fermoy, further enhance the facility's position within the parent company and will make it a flagship operation within Sanmina-SCI.

In addition to attracting new foreign direct investment, IDA continues to work closely with its existing clients in North Cork to encourage them to expand their operations.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 234: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by the Industrial Development Authority to Youghal, County Cork; the initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to Youghal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31217/08]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 235: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by the Industrial Development Authority to Cobh, County Cork; the initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to Cobh; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31218/08]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 236: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits by the Industrial Development Authority to Midleton, County Cork; the initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to Midleton; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31219/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 to 236, inclusive, 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.

IDA Ireland has informed me that so far this year there has been one site visit to Cobh but none to either Youghal or Midleton. While IDA Ireland can and does encourage clients to visit particular locations, the final decision on where to visit or locate is taken in all cases by the clients. In this connection, I would like to add that in the same period 37 visits have been made by new and existing companies looking at setting up new or additional functions in the greater Cork area including Little Island, Carrigtwohill and Ringaskiddy.

IDA Ireland is actively promoting the greater East Cork region (which also includes locations such as Little Island, Carrigtwohill, Midleton, Youghal, Carrigaline & Ringaskiddy) to prospective investors across the full range of IDA targeted sectors, such as Pharmaceuticals, Medical Technologies, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and Internationally Traded Services via its network of overseas offices and project divisions.