Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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89. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the Industrial Development Agency has been in discussion with a company (details supplied) in County Cork to acquire land adjacent to its property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13633/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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IDA holds two landbanks in Clonakilty, in the townlands of Clogheen and Miles. The balance of IDA lands in both holdings are 0.29 hectares in Clogheen and 0.85 hectares in Miles. Both of these land banks are currently under contract for transfer to Cork County Council. The company referred to by the Deputy acquired two sites from the IDA in Clonakilty, an 0.36 hectare site in Clogheen acquired in 1998 and an 0.40 hectare site in Miles acquired in 2001. Their site in Miles remains undeveloped.

In April 2014 a solicitor acting on behalf of the company contacted IDA enquiring if IDA would swap the lands that the company own in Miles for the IDA lands in Clogheen, to facilitate their existing premises in Clogheen. The solicitor was advised that IDA is currently in contract with Cork Council County regarding the transfer of these lands to the Council, and that therefore the IDA are not be in a position to enter into negotiations with the company in relation to a land swap. While the IDA would, of course, be keen to undertake property transactions to facilitate potential company expansions wherever possible and practicable, unfortunately in this case that is not an option, as the land is in the process of being transferred to the Council.

It should also be appreciated that issues relating to the management and disposal of specific property owned by the IDA are a day to day operational matter for that agency and one over which my Department does not have a direct role.