asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has received urgent requests from Offaly County Council and Birr Urban District Council for the designation of County Offaly as an undeveloped area for industrial purposes; and if he proposes to accede to these requests.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Undeveloped Area Designation.
3.
I have received the requests referred to by the Deputy.
The Industrial Development Authority are pursuing a comprehensive policy with regard to industrial development in Offaly. This policy includes the acquisition of sites for industry, advance factories, the flexible use of the authority's discretionary grant powers to attract industrial projects to the country and vigorous promotion of the county. There are, in addition, a number of projects under negotiation with the IDA including projects for three of the four advance factories in the county.
In the light of the foregoing developments I do not consider that designation of the county would be warranted.
The Minister has stated that there are projects in mind for three of the four factories. Will he confirm that the factory for which there is no project in view is the one at Birr? The factories are at Edenderry, Tullamore, Clara and Birr. Which factory is the one for which there is no project at negotiating level?
It is Birr, as the Deputy surmised.
I appreciate from what the Minister has said that there is awareness of the fact that Offaly is not as well fixed industrially as it might be. In view of the widespread feeling in County Offaly that that area does not appear to have received as much attention from the IDA as other areas, and in view of the fact that the Minister has decided not to designate the county, will he exhort the IDA to intensify their activities with regard to attracting industry to County Offaly, bearing in mind the statement recently made by the county development team led by the county manager?
I do not accept the strictures of the IDA but I am happy to exhort them in the sense the Deputy requests. I should tell the House that the county development team, in correspondence recently with the IDA, have accepted that the IDA recognise the special situation in Offaly and that they are making vigorous efforts in that county. I am happy to strengthen the Deputy's request and to pass it on to them with my own rider. I would inform the Deputy that there is a reason, which seems to me to be a completely good one, against designation. I should like to talk to the Deputy privately about the matter and I hope it will satisfy him that the reason is a good one. However, it is something I should prefer to discuss privately with the Deputy.
I am aware of that. I had the same kind of application myself.