Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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90. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of land holdings and industrial estates and parks held by the Industrial Development Agency outside the gateway cities, the hub towns and their immediate environs; his views on whether the IDA is the appropriate agency to be promoting these locations; if it would be more appropriate for these to be managed by another entity such as the Western Development Commission, Enterprise Ireland or the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12613/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Details of the land holdings of IDA Ireland outside of the gateway cities and hub towns are set out in the attached tabular statement. IDA Ireland also provides property solutions to companies who are clients of Enterprise Ireland. Under the Industrial Development legislation, IDA Ireland is independent in the exercise of its property function. The empirical results of international research has demonstrated that the availability of suitable property solutions is a key element in the location decision making process undertaken by prospective investors in determining where projects will locate. Most international development agencies with which IDA competes hold substantial stocks of such properties.

As part of the restructuring of Shannon Development, the enterprise support functions have transferred to IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. IDA Ireland is assuming responsibility for FDI companies in the Shannon Free Zone. Part of the restructuring will also result in IDA purchasing lands in the National Technology Park in Limerick and the Raheen Business & Technology Park from Shannon Development.

In recent years IDA Ireland has taken the decision to rationalise its non-core land holdings in a number of locations throughout the country. Land holdings are initially offered to Local Authorities and recent examples of rationalisation of IDA Ireland non-core lands completed include the transfer of lands to Roscommon County Council, Donegal County Council, Wicklow County Council and South Dublin County Council. In addition, current transfers in legal process include Cork County Council, Leitrim County Council, Wexford County Council and discussions are on-going with Galway County Council, Sligo County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and Kilkenny County Council. The Agency has explained that non-core lands which are not required by the Local Authorities are placed on the Open Market for disposal.

IDA Ireland also markets non-core lands and properties directly to stakeholders including; OPW, HSE, Chambers of Commerce, An Post and other similar bodies through active engagement in sharing portfolio information with common objectives. IDA Ireland constantly keeps its property portfolio under review and of course the matter will again be reviewed in the context of the work currently being undertaken on the preparation of a new strategy for the Agency from 2015 onwards.

Table shows IDA Ireland’s land holdings, industrial estates and parks held outside the Gateway cities and hub towns