asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will furnish details of the plans for the setting up of an IDA office to service the industrial needs of the mid-western region.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mid-Western IDA Office.
4.
The Industrial Development Authority has decided to set up an office in Limerick to service the industrial needs of the mid-west region and arrangements to that end are now proceeding.
A regional manager has, as already announced by the authority, been appointed and will take up duty at the beginning of May. It is expected that the premises to serve as the regional office will be available for accommodation by the end of May. In the meantime temporary accommodation for the office will be provided.
Will the Minister ensure that in view of the advent of this new agency in the region, the third agency will now work in co-ordination with the two already existing for the further development of industry in the area, the county development teams and SFADCo?
The Deputy may take it that all State agencies are working towards the one goal, and that is to provide employment for our people.
Who or what agency or Department will ensure the necessary co-ordination between the three agencies concerned?
The Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy.
That Department has no function vis-à-vis the county development teams, which are under another Department.
They are under the Department of Economic Planning and Development, but obviously in a Government such as ours there is total co-operation at all times.
Would the Minister not agree that this is a vitally important aspect of the matter in relation to the development of the region and that there should be the necessary co-ordination? As it is now, there appears to be no Minister or agency with overall co-ordinating responsibility and there is bound to be overlapping, duplication and confusion.
As I said in answer to a previous question the situation in regard to the development teams in the area should not lead to any confusion. In the past, in the case of small industries, they were reporting to the IDA; now they will report to SFADCo. There is no reason why there should be any misunderstanding as all agencies will be working towards the goal of employment for our people.
If I introduce a foreign industrialist who wants to set up a small industry employing 40 people tomorrow morning, to whom will I bring him—the county development team, SFADCo or the IDA?
The county development team or SFADCo. They will be working totally together and small industries will be under SFADCo in that region. Anything other than small industries will be under the IDA except——
I think the Minister is under a misapprehension, because he said in his original reply, and his Minister indicated to the Dáil some time ago, that SFADCo would have responsibility only for the promotion of small indigenous Irish industries. Will they or will they not have a function in advising on and processing applications from foreign industrialists who wish to set up small industries?
They will.
In view of the fact that there are two Ministries involved, would the Minister of State arrange an early meeting of all the bodies concerned to ensure that they will all work towards the one objective?
There is a meeting being arranged for some day next week between SFADCo and the county development teams in the area, and the IDA are working in very closely in that arrangement.