IDA insists it is 'committed to regional investment spread'

The IDA has insisted regional job growth is a main priority but conceded it is "extraordinarily difficult" to persuade foreign firms to choose smaller towns as a base. The agency tasked with attracting foreign direct investment into Ireland said it had a "very strong" first half of the year, with 13,500 jobs secured or an increase of 19% on the same period last year.

At a press briefing, Business Minister Heather Humphreys and IDA chief executive Martin Shanahan were at pains to emphasise the efforts made to attract foreign firms to the regions. They said there had been more than 450 investments for the regions across the country by the end of June, a 32% increase.