Written answers

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Industrial Development

9:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 160: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of visits made by or on behalf of the Industrial Development Authority and Enterprise Ireland to County Kilkenny, for each of the years ending 31 December 2006, 31 December 2007 and 31 December 2008; the number of approved projects by each of these bodies in Kilkenny for the periods specified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3657/09]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Industrial Development Acts, both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are independent in the exercise of their functions and, while I may give general policy directives to the agencies, I am precluded from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others.

While both agencies are very active in Kilkenny, as outlined below, I am informed by IDA that there have been no itineraries to Kilkenny arranged by the agency for prospective investors during 2006, 2007 or 2008. Enterprise Ireland does not sponsor site visits to locations around the country.

Enterprise Ireland has a large number of client companies in County Kilkenny and during the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 it approved a total of 92 new investments, involving grant approvals of €28,253,694, to its client companies in Kilkenny. The number of approvals in each year together with the grant approvals are set out in the following tabular statement.

Although there have been no new IDA projects approved for Kilkenny in the same three-year period there are, at present, four IDA supported companies in Kilkenny employing 390 people.

In line with the National Spatial Strategy, IDA is concentrating its efforts in Kilkenny on Kilkenny city. In marketing the city for new foreign direct investment, the agency is focused on attracting overseas companies in the services and knowledge-based industries (including advanced manufacturing). Key sectors of focus for the medium term are international services and financial services. The development by IDA of the 20 hectare Kilkenny Business and Technology Park will assist greatly in the attraction of new investment. In addition, the development of the IDA Belview lands (55 hectares) in South Kilkenny for large-scale utility intensive industry will ultimately benefit County Kilkenny as well as neighbouring Waterford City and the wider region.

It must be remembered that 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. In the final analysis it is the investor who decides where to visit and where to locate.

Table showing number of Enterprise Ireland approvals in County Kilkenny in each of the years 2006, 2007 and 2008
YearNumber of approvalsAmount
200620795,963
20073926,339,254
2008331,118,477
Total9228,253,694

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