asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism the steps he proposes to take to provide a replacement industry for Travenol Laboratories, Castlebar, County Mayo.
Written Answers. - Castlebar (Mayo) Replacement Industry.
20.
The action group set up by the IDA, to deal with Castlebar after the announcement of the closure of Travenol, are actively promoting the town for suitable industrial projects. The IDA are engaged in discussions with a number of parties who expressed interest in the Travenol plant and indeed Travenol themselves are actively promoting the facility among US corporations. In all up to 20 site visits have been made to date by various interested parties.
The IDA have recently reached agreement with Travenol involving the transfer of 170,000 sq.ft. of the Travenol factory to the IDA and the retention of 124,000 sq. ft. by the company. This agreement will enable the IDA to promote the factory on a clear and defined basis to new investors. I would also like to point out that the IDA have assigned a senior IDA executive on a full time basis to work exclusively behind the effort to get jobs for Castlebar.