John Halligan: The IDA cannot force companies to locate outside Dublin

The IDA cannot force companies investing in Ireland to locate their business outside Dublin or other cities.

That's the view of Waterford TD and Minister of State for Enterprise, John Halligan.

He was responding to figures published by Fianna Fail which should that 98 of the 152 properties owned by the IDA are lying idle.

Minister Halligan said: "The IDA offers the same acquisitions and the same facilities all over the country to encourage FDI companies to set up in the region, but at the end of the day, it's up to companies to make that decision."