IDA criticised as Leitrim only records one site visit

The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) has been criticised after making only one site visit to Leitrim last year.

The county was among the lowest in the country for visits, alongside Mayo, Meath, Wicklow and Monaghan.

In total, the IDA last year hosted 466 site visits by would-be foreign direct investors (FDIs), with Dublin accounting for 46.5 percent of visits.

Despite receiving just one visit, Leitrim has over 1,100 IDA supported jobs - outperforming several counties including Laois, Kilkenny, and Monaghan.

However, it still lags behind Donegal and Sligo which have 5,036 jobs and 2,929 jobs from IDA companies respectively.

Leitrim has shown that rural areas can attract foreign direct investment, and there is significant potential for growth with continued investment.

Ballinamore area councillor Enda McGloin acknowledged the lack of IDA visits but pointed out that job creation is also coming from other sources, and certain issues need to be addressed before focusing on attracting more IDA attention.

“I would prefer if there was much more direct engagement but we've had a good interaction with Enterprise Ireland and Carrick-on-Shannon has seen a number of job announcements in the last year,” he said.

He also noted that the Government had facilitated the purchase of the former MBNA building, which has the potential for job creation in Carrick-on-Shannon.

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Leitrim County Council is also keen to secure an IDA advance factory in Carrick-on-Shannon, with Deputy Frank Feighan discussing the matter with Minister Peter Burke.

“There’s a site ready to go on Castlecara road and that is something that if we were able to achieve, it would help,” he added.

A lack of housing and infrastructure is also hindering investment in the county.

“If the IDA were to come with a potential of 200 jobs for Carrick-on-Shannon, and if people had to be drawn from different parts of the country, we’d be under pressure because we don’t have the houses,” he explained.

“We need to build more affordable houses to create a more attractive region for the IDA.”

Infrastructure challenges, particularly water shortages, are another major concern.

“There is a severe shortage of water in Leitrim, and the difference between supply and demand is on a knife edge,” he said.

Minister Peter Burke cautioned that IDA site visits “are only one measure of a company’s interest in a particular location and may not necessarily be a true measure of the overall level of foreign direct investment activity in a region or county.”

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