The Chief Executive of IDA Ireland has defended his organisation’s role in promoting Waterford along with its efforts to stimulate new employment in the city.
In a statement issued to The Munster Express, Barry O’Leary said that the IDA is “battling with an increasing number of countries around the world to win and retain foreign direct investment (FDI)”.
Mr O’Leary also referred to the 66 IDA client companies in the south east, which employ 12,600 people, with “almost 50 per cent of those in Waterford city and county”.
He added: “Global companies have a strong presence in Waterford such as Genzyme in the biotechnology sector, Talk Talk with a large contact centre, Sun Life Financial with a software development and technical support centre, Bausch and Lomb in medical technology, high tech manufacturing and R&D to name but a few of IDA’s clients.”
What a load of rubbish Mr O’Leary. Genzyme, Sunlife, et al are in Waterford a good few years, probably well before he took up his job as CEO of the IDA.
How many new jobs has the IDA brought to Waterford in the last 2 years? I think ZERO is the answer. How many times has the IDA brought prospective companies to Waterford in the past 2 years? I think it was only 5 or 6 visits. Yet new jobs for Dublin, Cork, Galway are regularly announced.
You need a minister to get IDA visits.