New figures confirm a familiar trend
Roscommon remains one of the most underserved counties in Ireland when it comes to IDA-facilitated site visits, with just seven recorded in 2024. While this is a slight increase from four visits in 2023 and three in 2022, it remains far behind other counties in the region and vastly lower than national trends.
The figures, released in response to a parliamentary question by Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford), highlight the ongoing disparity in foreign direct investment (FDI) activity between different counties.
Then-Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) attempted to downplay the significance of site visit numbers, stating that they are “only one measure of a company’s interest in a particular location.” However, for counties like Roscommon – where FDI-backed job creation remains minimal – the lack of site visits is indicative of a broader failure to attract investment and opportunities.
Roscommon’s seven visits in 2024 pale in comparison to larger urban centres but also lag behind several neighbouring counties. Galway, for instance, recorded 34 visits, while Westmeath received 18 and Sligo had eight. Leitrim (1), Longford (2), and Mayo (1), also struggled with low numbers, remaining in a similar category to Roscommon of being largely overlooked for IDA-backed investment.
Nationally, Dublin (221 visits), Cork (41), and Limerick (38) continue to dominate the FDI landscape. While Dublin’s strategic importance as the capital is clear, the sharp contrast between site visits in the West and Midlands compared to more urban regions reflects a failure to push balanced economic development across the country.
While Minister Burke insists that 70% of IDA-backed investment comes from existing companies rather than new entrants, this does little to reassure counties like Roscommon, which lack a strong base of multinational employers to begin with. Without site visits, the chances of securing FDI-backed jobs remain slim, further entrenching economic imbalances between urban centres and rural counties.
