Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 187: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures that have been taken to generate new employment in the Industrial Development Authority park in Navan, County Meath since June to date in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37920/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 and not one in which I have a function.

IDA Ireland's strategy for County Meath has been to promote the county as part of a wider East Region comprising Meath, Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare. This region has access to a population base of 1.5 million people, a diverse skills pool, educational infrastructure, international access connections, existing business activity across all sectors and extensive property solutions for future activity. Within the county, IDA focuses on the town of Navan. 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.

The availability of suitable property solutions is one of the important attractions in encouraging FDI to Ireland and IDA Ireland has 25.5 hectares of serviced industrial lands available at the IDA Business Park in Navan, which it is marketing to prospective clients.

At present there are 15 IDA Ireland client companies in County Meath employing approximately 950 people. Six of these companies are located on the Business Park in Navan

IDA continues to work with its base of clients encouraging them to become involved in research and development and deepen their commitment to the local economy. In addition the agency is also involved in many local committees and task forces and is a Board Member of Meath County Development Board and the Economic Forum who are charged with developing initiatives to market the county.