IDA chief defends distribution of new jobs

IDA chief executive officer Barry O'Leary has been defending the distribution of new jobs around the country.

IDA chief executive officer Barry O'Leary has today been defending the distribution of new jobs around the country.

The job-creation agency has been criticised by Junior Minister Sean Sherlock for focusing too much on Dublin, Cork and Galway, to the exclusion of smaller towns.

Mr O'Leary said that he expects an announcement in a fortnight's time that will go some way towards countering that argument.

He admitted however that sometimes companies decide where they want to locate, despite the agency's best efforts.

"It's often Ireland versus Singapore, rather than Galway versus Cork or versus Waterford, and that's a very important perspective," he said.

"In many cases in these locations have provided packages of two, three, four million for a decent-sized project, but they have gone to other areas of the country (for) which you cannot give any grant aid at all - but that's the clients making that decision."