GOVERNMENT AGENCY FAILS TO BRING INVESTORS TO FERMOY OR MITCHELSTOWN
The Industrial Development Agency has yet to bring any potential investors to the towns of Fermoy, Mitchelstown and Mallow this year sparking concerns that the North Cork region is being left behind in terms of industrial development.
The disclosure comes following parliamentary questions put to Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan by Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock.
“The IDA needs to rethink its strategy towards encouraging local indigenous industry,” Deputy Sherlock told The Avondhu.
“We have an over dependence on foreign direct investment which is not sustainable in the medium term.”
“I have been informed by the agency that to date in 2008, there have been no site visits by potential investors to either Mallow, Mitchelstown or Fermoy,” Tanaiste Coughlan said in reply to Deputy Sherlock’s parliamentary question on government initiatives being undertaken to attract new enterprises to the region. The Tanaiste’s written reply went on to defend the IDA’s work in North Cork.
“Through its network of overseas offices, the agency is marketing the North Cork region which includes the towns of Mallow, Kanturk, Charleville, Newmarket, Millstreet, Fermoy and Mitchelstown to prospective investors across the full range of IDA targeted sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, information and communications technologies (ICT) and internationally traded services.”
However Deputy Sherlock feels the IDA needs to redefine its approach to developing industry.
“The key is to unblock the impasse for entrepreneurs to get a foothold in the engineering and light industrial sector,” the Labour spokesman for food and agriculture concluded, “The IDA needs to start talking to these people.”
Published:
Thursday 2nd October 7:18pm
