IDA HITS BACK AFTER CLAIM OF A LACK OF LOCAL INVESTMENT
REGIONAL MANAGER RESPONDS TO CRITICISM OF JOBS AGENCY BY DEPUTY AHERN
December 1990
IDA regional manager Michael Mullally responds to Deputy Dermot Ahern’s claim of a lack of industrial investment in Dundalk over the last decade, compared to Galway and Limerick.
The Fianna Fáil TD says a rising economic tide is leaving the town firmly anchored in the mud, and is critical of the job-creating agencies.
‘ The central message of his (Ahern) vision of a brighter future for this town would be for the IDA in particular to get its act together. Let me state at the onset that the IDA has always benefitted from constructive and well-directed criticism,’ Mr Mullally points out.
‘Criticism of the IDA we wll never seek to stifle, but seek to grow even greater as a result of it. However, if the criticism seems to be based on information that is not totally consistent with the facts then we do, from time to time, feel it is important to clearly articulate our viewpoint.’
The regional manager says Dundalk’s present and future is far more important to him than Dundalk’s past.
‘ Therefore, to lament once again as Deputy Ahern has done on the demise of the footwear industry, the heavy engineering industry or the perceptions of negative international border publicity is to hold this town’s future forever as a hostage to its past.’
He adds that during the past decade businesses such as Asea Brown Boveri, Keytronic, Stribel and National Pen don’t even seem worthy of mention. Between them they employ over 550 people with 150 more in temporary employment.
‘Dundalk is not ‘anchored fiercely in the mud’. Dundalk is among the most prestigious locations anywhere in Ireland to locate or to expand a business. The timetable for such investment decisions is never fast enough for my liking, but no amount of allegations that we always come ‘second or third’ will contribute much to speeding up these overseas investors in their assessment of this community as the place for their product.’
Mr Mullally continues it is well worth noting that Dundalk is attracting much more site visit activity from potential investors than is Galway.
‘ To date this year over 50 multi-national companies have been in this town to assess its capabilities as a base for their businesses - an unprecedented level of such activity.’
He points out the IDA’s function is to work to the limits of its human and state-sponsored financial resources to promote job creation activities within the terms of the Industrial Development Act. The IDA nationally and internationally works as a team.
‘ Therefore, to suggest that the local office of IDA does its best, but the hierarchy at the centre of IDA is not, is to misrepresent the full commitment of IDA’s interest in doing everything it can to harness economic development for this town and for this county.’
Mr Mullally explains that over the last five years alone, actual IDA grant payments to Co. Louth-based industry exceeded £26 million, while Galway, with a population base of over 40% more than Louth, had £29 million invested in the same period by IDA.
He concludes by calling for an all-out effort by all sides to ensure Dundalk of a bright industrial future.