Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of visits by clients of the IDA Ireland to County Mayo in the first half of 2018; the number of visits to counties Sligo, Galway, Leitrim and Roscommon in the same period; her views on IDA Ireland job creation in County Mayo; the IDA Ireland plans for its land in Ballina, County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31375/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There is a strong base of multinational companies in County Mayo with 16 companies employing 4,462 people there as of the end of 2017. This is an increase of 5% over 2016. IDA Ireland actively engages with this existing client base to support them in growing their business further in the County. 

IDA Ireland owns approximately 11 hectares of land in Ballina, County Mayo. This is broken down into approximately 10.6 hectares of industrial zoned land on the Sligo Road and around 0.6 hectares at the Ballina Industrial Park, which would be suitable for the expansion of an existing company on the park. The IDA has informed my Department that both of these land banks are master planned and have planning permission for infrastructure development. The Agency continues to market these lands in Ballina to prospective clients through its network of overseas offices. 

The Agency does its utmost to encourage clients to locate in regional areas. However, it must be noted that the ultimate decision as to where to invest is always taken by the company itself.  It is also important to remember that site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as at least 70% of all new foreign direct investment comes from existing IDA Ireland client companies.

The table below details the number of site visits to Counties Leitrim, Sligo, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon in 2017 and Quarter 1 2018. Figures for Quarter 2 will be compiled at the end of July.