Rise in number of Co Wicklow IDA site visits

THERE were six visits to IDA sites in County Wicklow in the first nine months of 2019.

The figures mean that the total of IDA site visits to the county during the whole of 2019 is likely to be higher than any year in the previous three-year period.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys released the information on IDA site visits in response to separate parliamentary questions from Fine Gael Deputy Fergus O’Dowd and Fianna Fail Deputy Aindrias Moynihan.

For the period between January and September 2019, there were six IDA site visits in County Wicklow, a considerable jump for the one visit in 2018. Two site visits took place in the county in 2017 while there were five visits in 2016.

Dublin had the highest number of site visits during the first nine months of 2019, at 216.

In her response to Deputy O’Dowd’s question, Minister Humphreys noted that the IDA and Enterprise Ireland conduct site visits at locations across the country.

‘Regional development remains a key priority for myself and my Department. We understand the importance of achieving the best possible spread of employment and investment across the country and my Department and its Agencies have been working hard towards that goal. That will remain the case in 2020 and beyond,’ said Minister Humphreys.

‘It is therefore very positive that significant progress has already been made towards that objective. For example, 58 per cent of all IDA client-supported employment is now situated outside Dublin. This figure represents the highest level of regional employment in the history of the Agency and reflects the significant energy and resources invested into supporting regional development. We will be seeking to increase that number again in 2020,’ the Minister added.

The total number of IDA site visits in 2019 is expected to be available in the coming months.