Sligo growth centre
Tony McLoughlin asked about promoting Sligo’s new advance factory and its case for growth-centre status in Ireland 2040. The Taoiseach and Minister Mitchell O’Connor said Sligo was being promoted and should put forward its case in the consultation.
Will he briefly advise if County Sligo should be considered as a growth centre in the Ireland 2040 plan?
Comment on this
I waited a long time to get this in so I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle's patience.
Comment on this
With regard to the 2040 consultation, I have already made it publicly clear that this is an opportunity for the Sligo region to put forward its case for inclusion as a growth centre in the consultation currently under way. This is not a case of pitting town against town, as happened before. There are opportunities for every region and Sligo is one of those potentially very major centres, with access in terms of roads to be completed and so on. The fact that the advance factory is almost completed is an advantage for Sligo. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor to give Deputy McLoughlin an indication of the interest being expressed in filling that location with jobs.
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I thank Deputy McLoughlin. The Deputy has brought it up for debate later today. I will be answering the same question.
Sligo is on the IDA Ireland list. We are promoting it. I myself promoted it on two occasions in the past week in the US. The Deputy has a wonderful facility there. He will be aware that I visited the facility and other facilities in Sligo. I also met the chamber of commerce and the local trading organisation there and I am confident that IDA Ireland will be able to get good clients.
As Minister, I remind the House it is not only IDA Ireland. Enterprise Ireland is a very good enterprise agency and is also bringing jobs to a community, as are the LEOs. We are there with IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs to try and make sure that we land jobs in regional areas.