asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce why Charleville, County Cork, has not been selected as a site for an advance factory; and if the IDA received any inquiries from industrialists within the past two years concerning the erection of a factory there.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Factory.
9.
The Industrial Development Authority use a number of criteria to identify the centres which can, from an industrial development viewpoint, derive the greatest benefit from the provision of an advance factory. The authority do not consider that the situation at Charleville warrants the construction of an advance factory at present, but the situation there will be kept under review.
There is of course a whole range of other incentives available to the authority in their promotion of suitable industrial development in Charleville.
I understand that there were three inquiries from industrialists considering the possibility of establishing an industry in the town in the past two years.
Are any of these inquiries still alive and being pursued?
In at least one case inquiries are still alive, but it is only fair to say that none of them offers immediate prospects in regard to the creation of employment.
Having regard to the problems of the area which resulted from the situation in Golden Vale whereby hundreds of people became unemployed, would the Parliamentary Secretary ask the Minister to bring this case again to the attention of the IDA?
The Deputy is perhaps aware that the Charleville Development Association made representations on this matter in October last. They were met by a representative of the IDA in January this year. Following that meeting the special working group of the IDA concerned with advance factories held a special meeting for the purpose of discussing the situation in Charleville. It was decided subsequently that, in the light of the evidence available and given the limited amount of resources available for advance factories, an advance factory was not warranted in so far as Charleville was concerned. They had in mind in particular the trend in unemployment in the area which is covered by the Killmallock exchange. I might add that there is some evidence of an improvement in the situation in Golden Vale.