The Finance Minister believes a focus on large-scale employers like factories will not aid in efforts to reduce unemployment in rural areas including West Clare.
Minister Michael Noonan was speaking as the coalition launched its Action Plan on Jobs for the MidWest, a strategy which aims to deliver 23,000 jobs to the region in the coming years.
Part of this would see an increase of up to 40% in the number of Foreign Direct Investment projects, though the government has already been criticised because much of this has gone to Limerick to date.
Minister Noonan insists that a focus on agriculture and tourism is the best way of growing employment in West Clare.