Written answers

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

IDA Portfolio

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the proposed science and technology park at a location (details supplied) in County Galway; the progress in developing this facility; if IDA Ireland or other relevant agencies in his Department has further plans and proposed visits to an industrial estate; and the infrastructural requirements to ensure the facilities are able to provide capacity for new businesses and business expansion in the west. [44333/14]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the Industrial Development Acts, the management of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio, including the provision of property solutions for client companies, is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function.

I am informed by IDA Ireland that they have invested in a number of Business and Technology Parks in Galway city and county -Parkmore, Oranmore, Ballinasloe, Tuam, and Loughrea and have purchased land for future strategic development in Athenry. The Agency also partners with the private sector in the promotion of appropriate property solutions for FDI.

The Agency has explained that they have a c.97 ha site at Athenry on which phase 1 road infrastructure is completed and the lands are appropriately zoned for industrial purposes as part of the current Athenry Local Area Plan and related Galway County Development Plan. The provision of related infrastructure in the form of power, gas water and waste water continues to be advanced with the respective stakeholders.

In the case of Oranmore, full planning permission is in place from Galway County Council for a significant Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Campus on the c.27 hectares site. The facility is designed to be a flexible multi process campus suitable for a range of investors, principally multi-national Biopharmaceutical Corporations. The Oranmore site is fully serviced to support such development.

I am informed by IDA Ireland that up to the end of September 2014 there were a total of 16 IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Galway. For commercially sensitive reasons IDA Ireland is not in position to release details of these visits.

Enterprise Ireland, which deals with indigenous industry, does not conduct similar type site visits but Enterprise Ireland Executives work regularly in the field in Galway meeting with clients. These meetings range from introductory meetings with potential entrepreneurs to strategic planning meetings with established companies to promote expansion in addition to visits with community groups to advance enterprise infrastructure in the community.

It is also worth remembering that County Galway has been particularly successful in recent years in terms of attracting inward investment particularly in the areas of Medical Technologies and ICT. There are currently 60 IDA Ireland client companies employing some 13,615 people in Galway, city and county. IDA Ireland has strong relationships with these companies and works closely with them to ensure their long term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing re-investment in their sites. During 2013, there were 1,098 new jobs created in IDA Ireland Client companies in Galway.

IDA Ireland has assured me that it will continue to promote Galway as part of its marketing efforts, in response to specific client queries and also on an opportunistic basis for the purpose of winning FDI projects for the county. We must also remember that it is the investor in all cases who decides where to invest and an investment win for Ireland regardless of the location has to be seen as a plus for the country as a whole.

Photo of Gabrielle McFaddenGabrielle McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the new IDA Ireland advanced technology building in Athlone, County Westmeath is on target for completion in November 2014. [44310/14]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014, we are bringing a particular focus to regional job creation and are delivering a range of measures to support this goal.

I announced in April that IDA Ireland had agreed contracts for the delivery of two advanced technology buildings in Athlone and Waterford, which will be suitable for future IDA client investment across the full spectrum of manufacturing and technology activities. Both buildings are on track to be completed before year end.

The Athlone building is located in the IDA Garrycastle Business & Technology Park, on the Dublin Road. The development has been designed to a high standard and consists of an advanced technology building of approximately 2,674m2, part two storey and part double height single storey, with associated infrastructure.

The building layout has taken account of the requirement of potential end users for flexibility by creating front of house open plan offices areas with the potential for subdivision. The rear open plan production area offers flexibility for large scale open plan of again the potential to subdivide or introduce cellular spaces. The building is of high quality environmental design which will achieve the globally recognised U.S.G.B.C. LEED “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” silver standard. Employment across the two projects is in the region of 160 to 180 over the construction cycle.

The Agency has assured me that they are actively promoting and marketing the facility to overseas clients wishing to invest in Athlone as the building will provide an enhanced platform to attract FDI to the Midlands Region.

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