Written answers

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

IDA Ireland Site Visits

Photo of Lisa ChambersLisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA premises in County Mayo; the status of same; and if they are occupied. [53769/18]

Photo of Lisa ChambersLisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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292. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA visits to the vacant advanced factory building in Castlebar in the past 12 months. [53770/18]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 292 together.

IDA Ireland continues to highlight the benefits of expanding or locating in regional areas to its clients. It is important to remember, however, that the final decision as to where to invest always rests with the company concerned. It is also the case that site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as almost 70% of all new foreign direct investment (FDI) comes from existing IDA client companies. Site visits nevertheless do represent an important tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in regional areas and the IDA always does its utmost to ensure that investors consider all potential locations when visiting Ireland.

Site visits are collated by the IDA on a county-by-county basis only and are released every quarter. Information on the number of site visits to specific locations and buildings is therefore unavailable.

In 2017, there were seven site visits to County Mayo by IDA client companies. In the first three quarters of 2018, there were a further seven such visits by prospective investors.

The IDA has constructed an Advanced Technology Building in Mayo, located in Castlebar. The building is complete and the Agency has been working hard, through its offices in Ireland and abroad, to secure an investor for the facility. Those efforts are continuing.

More broadly, the overall outlook for FDI in Mayo remains positive. There are 16 IDA client companies employing approximately 4,500 people in the County. Mayo has experienced a 26% increase in FDI employment from 2012 to 2017 with job numbers increasing from 3,537 in 2012 to 4,462 at the end of last year. IDA Ireland continues to engage with its existing client base there to support them in growing their business and footprint further.

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