Dublin dominance of FDI site visits receding, figures show

New figures show that the domination by Dublin for IDA-sponsored foreign direct investment (FDI) site visits is on the decline this year.

The figures - provided by Business, Enterprise and Innovation MInister Heather Humphreys to Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster - show the number of IDA site visits to Dublin in the first half of 2019 totalled 146. This represented 39% of the 607 total. This compares to Dublin recording 44% of the 607 FDI site visits in 2018.

A total of 372 FDI visits took place in the six months to the end of June and if the IDA can maintain that rate for the second half of the year, it is course to record 744 FDI visits.

The increasing numbers of FDI visits outside the capital follow more IDA-sponsored jobs added in the regions in 2018 than at any time over the past 17 years.

Limerick has had a number of high profile FDI ‘wins’ in the past year and the new figures show that Limerick attracted 44 FDI visits in the first six months of this year - seven more than tin 2018.

FDI visits to Louth and Clare are also set to easily top the 2018 total.

Other counties haven’t fared as well to date in 2019 - Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon have recorded one FDI visit each and Wexford, Monaghan, Mayo, Meath, Offaly, Kerry and Donegal have each recorded two visits.