Niall Blaney
Question:149 Mr. Blaney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she intends taking to deal with the unemployment crisis in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4285/03]
Written Answers. - Job Creation.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:156 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the initiatives which are under way to address the unemployment statistics in the north west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4286/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 156 together.
The issue of job creation is a day-to-day operational issue for the enterprise development agencies of my Department and is one in which I have no direct function. IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and the county enterprise boards are the agencies under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for industrial development in the north west region.
In 2002, employment in Enterprise Ireland companies in the north west decreased by 368 people. This was a net decline of 5.57% in employment compared to the national average for Enterprise Ireland-assisted companies, of 3.27%. Enterprise Ireland is proactively adopting a structured approach to driving growth in the north west region through a number of specific measures which help to build the environment for business across the region. These include; making a significant investment in contributing to the development of 20 community enterprise centres across Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo; providing preferential funding for companies with, detailed export plans, expanding or establishing a business in the north west; working closely with existing clients in the north west region to grow and to increase sales, exports and employment through a range of supports and supporting new high potential start up companies.
Enterprise Ireland is currently in discussion with a number of promoters with a view to establishing new operations in the north west, and is also seeking out new opportunities such as expansions of East coast companies to the region. The recent designation of Letterkenny and Sligo as gateways under the national spatial strategy will assist in promoting the north west region further.
IDA Ireland is committed to playing its part in the development of the north west region by maintaining the maximum number of existing jobs in overseas industry and by attracting new foreign direct investment into the region. Over the past two years, IDA Ireland has radically changed its policy with a commitment to delivering half of all new Greenfield jobs into the Objective One regions in the coming years. A number of positive initiatives have resulted, including: a major project recently announced by Abbott Ireland for the north west region which involves the development of a new pharma project in Sligo with the creation of 190 new jobs; PacifiCare Health Systems Ireland continues to actively recruit as a result of the expansion announced in May 2001, and will bring total employment in the company to over 300 people; ongoing investment at Prumerica Systems Ireland Limited resulting in a current staffing level of approximately 400 people, and MBNA which is currently developing a second building at Carrick-on-Shannon which will increase capacity to allow for a workforce of 1,000 persons in its call centre.
A number of other companies are continuing to recruit in the region, including Kirchhoff Ireland, Boston Scientific Interventional Technologies and Keith Prowse in Buncrana. In addition, the Letterkenny Business Park has been completed and plans are well advanced to extend this park. Work has now been completed on the provision of a second 25,000 sqare foot advance factory at the park and planning permission has been sought for a third advance facility. The Finisklin Business Park has been extended and plans are well advanced also for new lands in Sligo. The IDA is currently marketing three vacant facilities in Sligo, together with a vacant advance building in Carrick on Shannon.
At the micro-enterprise level, the county enterprise boards in Sligo, Donegal and Leitrim continue to work actively with local people to set up, grow and develop micro-enterprises. The boards, whose work results in dispersed economic development throughout the region provide a comprehensive system of capital and employment grants, and support, mentoring, advice, training and development for new and existing micro-enterprises.
The agencies' commitment to regional development is stronger than ever and with the national spatial strategy now in place, both agencies are determined to see the emergence of strong magnets of attraction in each region and are working in strong partnership with other organisations at national and local level to influence the delivery of projects to the regions.