Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of visits to south Tipperary facilitated by the Industrial Development Agency and his Department in the period 1 March 2011 to 30 September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47306/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by IDA Ireland that, in the period from the beginning of 2011 to date, there have been 2 site visits by potential investors to South Tipperary, one in 2011 and one in 2012.

One of the main challenges that IDA Ireland encounters in encouraging investment into locations outside of large urban centres is the desire of investors to locate in areas with large population bases, typically with populations in excess of 1 million people. There is intense and continual international competition to win foreign direct investment, which is mainly dominated by Metro City Regions with populations in excess of 1 million. Ireland has one Metro Region, the Greater Dublin area.

In order to achieve balanced regional development IDA Ireland focuses on marketing Gateway locations within each Region as the areas of critical mass and highlights the opportunities provided by Hub locations which are within commuting distances of these Gateways.

South Tipperary forms part of IDA Ireland’s South Economic Region along with the counties of Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny. The locations of emphasis for IDA in this Region are the Gateways of Cork and Waterford and these are actively promoted to potential investors through IDA’s network of overseas offices. In addition, the other counties referred to, including South Tipperary, are promoted as part of the Agency’s marketing efforts and in response to specific client requirements. At present there are 9 IDA Ireland supported companies in South Tipperary employing approximately 3,400 people, while in the South Economic Region there are 207 client companies employing over 38,000 people. I have been informed by IDA that, since the beginning of 2011, there have been a total of 74 sponsored visits by potential investors to this Region. IDA Ireland has drawn my attention to the fact that, while it seeks to influence location, in the final analysis it is the investor who decides where to visit and where to locate.