This article is from page 2 of the 2008-06-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
THE Industrial Development Au- thority organised only three visits to Clare last year for investors seeking to establish new businesses. According to figures provided by Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, the number of IDA visits is the same as 2006 and compares unfavourably to the number of itineraries in Limerick where 35 visits were organised and Galway which hosted 15 IDA visits. The complete picture in relation to Clare is not available as Shannon De- velopment — which is responsible for promoting the Shannon Free Zone
— 1s refusing to release the number of visits to the Free Zone last year.
A spokesman said, “We don’t nor- mally give that type of information out.”
The low number of IDA visits to En- nis is no surprise as Clare came near the bottom of the ladder in a survey of the number of IDA jobs created last year. The survey confirmed that Clare came 19th of the 26 counties in IDA jobs created last year. The figures show that only 22 jobs were created in Clare by IDA-supported companies last year although more IDA jobs were created in Clare than Carlow, Laois, Longford, Monaghan,
Roscommon and north Tipperary.
Only nine IDA jobs were created in north Tippeary. However, Clare lags behind its other two neighbours, Limerick and Galway.
The figures show that 264 IDA jobs were created in Limerick and 383 IDA jobs were generated in Galway.
Clare Fine Gael Deputy Joe Carey said that based on current statistics, the IDA had a conversion rate of about one in four companies that visit and then subsequently set up operation somewhere in Ireland.
“If the reports are correct that only three visits to the region took place, then it would seem highly unlikely to
have a positive yield for us. As with anything, attracting inward invest- ment is a numbers game, and the more people we can get to come here and view what we have to offer, the better chance we have of securing actual commitments.
‘We need to ensure that there is ab- solute clarity between Shannon De- velopment and the IDA as to who is promoting industry locally and how they are both to operate.
“We need the minister to give clear direction in this regard and to ensure that responsibility for industrial pro- motion is clearly defined in this re- gion.”