Laois in the frame for jobs as IDA buys land in Portlaoise

The IDA is buying land in Portlaoise beside in what Laois TD and Minister for State Seán Fleming says is an 'absolute commitment' to bring foreign investment and new jobs to Laois.

Minister Fleming confirmed to the Leinster Express / Laois Live that the State agency has sealed a deal to purchase 45 acres of former farm land adjoining the IDA Business Technology Park  on the Mountrath Road.

Minister Fleming welcomed the move which he believes is a step in direction of addressing the need for more jobs in Laois created by companies based overseas.

He said demonstrates an 'absolute commitment' by the Industrial Development Authority to deliver where it has fallen short heretofore.

"This is an ideal site that can bring investors to Laois," said the Fianna Fáil TD.

The Minister said the size of the site is important as it means the IDA will be in a position to market Portlaoise to companies that need a bigger site.

The purchase will double the size of the IDA's footprint in Portlaoise. The existing site is 46 acre site is home to a small number of firms including Greenfield Global a Canadian firm that opened there in 2020.

The news  comes soon after the Laois Chamber Alliance wrote to TDs and Ministers for Laois seeking an urgent meeting regarding what it said was the dire need for immediate action on the county’s bottom of the table placing in terms of IDA supported jobs.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, recently revealed through a Parliamentary Question for the number of jobs per county in IDA Ireland-sponsored companies. These figures showed that in 2021 Laois came last with 157 IDA supported jobs. This figure is less than half the number of IDA supported jobs recorded in the second lowest county, Monaghan, at 430 jobs. In neighbouring Offaly, a figure of 1,302 jobs was recorded.