A press release issued by the IDA stressing its commitment to Laois was described a “bland ould statement” by Cllr Jerry Lodge.
Cllr Lodge had a motion before the monthly meeting of Laois County Council questioning why a promised IDA visit had never taken place.
A visit from the IDA had been requested to attend the full meeting of the council.
Instead, a meeting took place between management of the council with representatives of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.
IDA CEO Martin Shanahan attended the meeting, as did Julie Sinnamon, CEO of Enterprise Ireland.
Cllr Lodge said the fact that this meeting had taken place instead, didn’t bother him.
He welcomed the skills audit currently being done by Laois County Council.
A third level facility is required in Laois to attract investment, he said. He welcomed efforts by Laois ETB and their Kilkenny counterparts to put this in place.
While direct foreign investment see Dublin as an attractive location due to the pool of skills, he said many may not realised that many of these people “travel up from Laois”.
“Laois has attracted direct foreign investment because of a lack of a third level facility. I am totally convinced if we can get such a facility in Laois then we have a far greater opportunity of enticing investment to Laois,” Cllr Lodge said.
With Athlone chosen as the regional centre for growth, he said they face even greater challenges.
“We cannot depend on the IDA, we have to depend on ourselves, only,” he said.
Council cathaoirleach Cllr Padraig Fleming said the Laois Oireachtas members had organised the meeting.
Exchanges
“There were a lot of full and frank exchanges,” he said.
There have been four visits by potential investors to Laois so far this year. In the past three years, there were four visits in one year and six in another.
He praised the role of Enterprise Ireland which has seen investment of €2.5 million in the county through the Local Enterprise Office (Leo) recently.
Welcoming the recent meeting, Cllr John Joe Fennelly said “hopefully something will come from it”.
SEE ALSO – Minister for Education provides update on school closures
