Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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307. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of regional IDA site visits and vacant properties in 2016, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12333/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As part of IDA Ireland’s strategy for the period from 2015-2019, the Agency has targeted achieving an increase of 30% to 40% in foreign direct investment (FDI) in every region outside of Dublin. Site visit statistics indicate that progress is being made towards that goal. It is important to remember, however, that the number of site visits to a county does not necessarily reflect FDI activity there as 70% of all new FDI comes from existing IDA Ireland clients.

To attract more FDI to the regions, the IDA requires an adequate supply of marketable serviced land and buildings that can be offered to potential investors. There are currently 23 such available IDA Ireland-owned units and further details on these are set out in the table below. If the Agency did not have such properties, it would diminish Ireland’s ability to win mobile FDI, particularly for the regions.

IDA Ireland-sponsored Site Visits 2016 by County

IDA Ireland Available Units