Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if he has had meetings with the Industrial Development Authority in relation to lands within the agency's remit with the view of ensuring that such lands are available for development; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a previous engagement between a local authority and the IDA (details supplied) was unsuccessful in obtaining an agreement as to the sale of the lands to ensure indigenous economic development in areas where such is urgently needed; and if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that it was due to the fact that the IDA wanted present day prices for lands unused since purchased in 1973 that no deal could be agreed to; and if he will seek to have this matter addressed. [30465/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency, as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas, and it is not a matter in which the Minister of the day has any involvement. I am informed by IDA that the IDA Board agreed to the sale of the Castledermot lands to Kildare County Council as far back as 2003, but the transaction was never finalised due to a failure in negotiations. IDA has been in constant contact with the council about these lands and the Council have again confirmed to IDA that they have no interest in acquiring these lands.

The IDA lands remain available to support economic development projects from any of the enterprise development agencies and the County Development Boards. Furthermore, any potential economic development project outside the remit of the above agencies would be considered by the IDA Board on a case by case basis. IDA is available at all times to discuss any such proposals. With regard to the question of land prices, all IDA land is valued by a panel of independent valuers, who are appointed consequent to a public tendering process. These valuers take cognisance of the prevailing circumstances in the property market at the time of any proposed sale. As IDA land is purchased with public monies, the Agency is bound to obtain a return on its investment.