IDA hopeful major firms on way to Galway City

 The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is hopeful that 15 delegations from overseas companies which visited Galway last year will bear fruit in 2014 in terms of creating jobs.

 Talks with the heads of some of the multinational firms are at an advanced stage following the series of visits sponsored by the agency charged with attracting foreign direct investment.

Last year more 1,098 new jobs were created by IDA companies in Galway, bringing the total number of people employed by the agency’s clients in the city and county to 13,615.

This represents an increase from 859 jobs that were created by IDA companies in Galway in 2012. Only Dublin and Cork are ahead of Galway in terms of employment by agency-sponsored companies.

Early indications are that this number could be even bigger this year.

“The whole western region is being marketed on a daily basis to IDA companies across our 19 offices worldwide,” an IDA spokesperson said.

“As part of our efforts to demonstrate the strengths of a particular region, companies agree to attend IDA-designed itineraries. At any one time, IDA Ireland is speaking to several companies about locating in regions across Ireland. We cannot reveal the names of these companies for commercial reasons.”

Galway West Deputy Brian Walsh said the prospect of further jobs growth from foreign direct investment was a cause for optimism for the city’s continued recovery. 

“Besides the 13,615 people already employed by IDA-client companies in Galway, it is very encouraging that 15 sponsored site visits took place last year. My understanding is that a number of these are at an advanced stage of the process.”

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel