Councillor leaves IDA out of talks with US firm

by David Power

A councillor told IDA representatives that he deliberately did not involve them in efforts to bring a US employer to Tullamore, as he felt their involvement would result in Tullamore losing out on the opportunity to other counties.

IDA representatives gave a detailed presentation on the efforts to promote and market the midlands regional and Offaly at the April meeting of Offaly County Council.

After the presentation, Cllr Tony McCormack told the monthly meeting of the council that he had reached out to a company through the town’s twinning programme with Chandler in Arizona, USA.

“I am so sceptical of the IDA at the moment, that last February through connections that I have made through our Sister Cities involvement with Chandler in Arizona I met with a company that was looking for a base to do business in Ireland and put together a group of people to meet with them,” he said.

This group included representatives from the chamber of commerce, Offaly County Council and other local foreign direct investment (FDI) companies and a local property company. “We showed them Tullamore from an historical and heritage point of view, and modern day point of view,” he said.

“We got to give them the personal touch and to get a great feel for Tullamore. They knew from day one, if they decided to locate here that they would have the support of the council. They heard the stories of the other FDIs, which showed them that we have a track record ,” Cllr McCormack said.

The company was also given insights on the availability of emplyment talent locally and from the surrounding counties.

“We have had contact from the company since then and it looks like they have preferred Tullamore as a place to do business,” Cllr McCormack said.

“Because of Covid-19, it is going to take a little longer,” Cllr McCormack said of the process.

Cllr McCormack said he didn’t involve the IDA in the process, because of the fear of losing out to other counties.

Earlier, the Fianna Fail councillor said he had nothing against the IDA and had worked with them through the Chamber of Commerce and in his political life.

“In all my meetings with the IDA, I have come away with some amount of hope as to what they were going to do for Tullamore and indeed Offaly. But alas these hopes always fell very short of what was the reality on the ground,” Cllr McCormack said.

“The promises that were made were forgotten about. It was like they told us what we wanted to hear – anything to get us out of the office,” he added.

However, Cllr McCormack said he intends to keep Tullamore on the agenda and he “intends to be a thorn in their side”.

“All I am asking for is a fair crack of the whip,” he said.

Tullamore needs more itineraries to visit Tullamore and stay overnight in the town, not to be just whisked away to stay in Athlone or Mullingar. “A chance of someone choosing Tullamore without over-nighting here is very slim,” he said.

“The IDA are world leaders in what they do, and other countries have copied their business model,” Cllr McCormack said.

“You guys are the best in the world at what you do. And that’s why it’s so hard to see other areas getting the lion’s share of what’s available, and Offaly getting nothing,” Cllr McCormack said.

A company which located in Tullamore in the past had done their own research and sent people to stay in the town. “They sent their reps here to do a recce in the town. They spent nights here. They ate in local restaurants, they got their hair cut here. Why? – because they wanted to see how the town and its people ticked,” Cllr McCormack said.

He said they cannot achieve this by taking itineraries on a whistle-stop tour of the town.

When Boston Scientific located in Tullamore in the 1980s. the agricultural location was what swayed the SEO. “It was the location and the fact there were cattle in the field, next door,” Cllr McCormack said.

People need to spend longer in the town, when deciding on a location for investment, Cllr McCormack said. “If we don’t market it, we won’t sell it,” he said.

In Tullamore, there has been a net loss of jobs of FDI jobs of 1234, Cllr McCormack said.