Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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647. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will provide a breakdown of all IDA visits by region and county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39671/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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IDA Ireland collates data on site visits on a quarterly basis. In the first three quarters of 2016, there were 489 site visits countrywide. The breakdown of those visits by region and county is provided in the enclosed table, which also includes figures for 2015 for comparison. Data on site visits for the final quarter of 2016 will be available early next year.

I want to stress that regional development is a priority of mine, as it is for this Government. Growing and sustaining foreign direct investment outside of the country’s main urban areas is a key part of our efforts in this context. To achieve that, we have to continue to make the case to prospective investors that regional Ireland can be a suitable location for their businesses. Increasing site visits to regional locations forms part of that approach. In 2015, 57% of site visits were to locations outside Dublin, up from 43% in 2014. The figures available for 2016 indicate that this trend is continuing.

We must remember, however, that a company’s ultimate choice of location can be influenced by a number of factors. This includes access to talent, proximity to transport hubs and the supply of suitable property. IDA Ireland actively tries to encourage client companies to locate outside Dublin but the final decision of where to situate always rests with the company itself.

Site Visits by County and Region 2015 to end Quarter 3 of 2016