22/12/2011 -

CEO of IDA Addresses Council

The Chief Executive Officer of the IDA Mr Barry O’Leary attended a Special meeting of Sligo County Council to discuss the Authority’s strategy for attracting new industry and investment to the region.

Mr O Leary outlined the IDA’s priority lay in the area of ‘Foreign Direct Investment, pointing out that multi-national companies accounted for 240,000 jobs in the country. The Authority targets six specific sectors, including the ‘Life-Sciences’ area and ‘Pharmaceutical and Medical’.

Mr O’Leary pointed out that Ireland excels at global level in terms of Foreign Direct Investment, and our talent pool and technology capability were key factors in this context.  The Authority also has a strategy is to drive company transformation through co-investment programmes, technology and skills up-lift and research and development grants.

The Cathaoirleach Councillor Fleming thanked Mr O’Leary and Michelle Yewlett for attending their meeting, and noted that the Sligo County Development Board has a key role to play in working with the IDA to support existing enterprise and to attract new investment to County Sligo.

  
- Barry O'Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland, Michelle Hewitt, IDA Sligo, County manager Hubert Kearns with the Cathaoirleach Councillor Michael Fleming and elected members