Fianna Fáil has put forward construction proposals to occupy the vacant 97-acre Athenry site, according to its TD for Galway East, Anne Rabbitte.

Mrs Rabbitte urged the government to put the site on the IDA (International Development Association) priority list, after an €850 million Apple data centre project fell through earlier this week.

The 300 construction jobs and 100 full time jobs promised from the Apple project will now go "elsewhere", according to Mrs Rabbitte.

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She said: "Those jobs and investment will now go elsewhere. Just as worrying is that other companies will look at this experience and could potentially re-evaluate spending money here. For places like the West of Ireland, which struggles to get substantial Foreign Direct Investment, this is particularly important to address.

"In October 2017 I published a Bill to fast track such planning decisions but we are still waiting on the government to come forward with amendments to the planning act. Ireland needs to send out a clear message to foreign direct investors that we are open for business. Planning laws must not deter potential investors from Irish shores."

(CM/LM)