asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce in view of the fact that the unemployment figures for Gorey, New Ross and Enniscorthy, County Wexford, are above the national average, if he is prepared to lift the embargo on the building of the advance factories, as no such factories exist in those areas; and if, because of this policy the three named areas are at a serious disadvantage in trying to attract new industries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Wexford Advance Factories.
3.
(Limerick East): Government policy on industrial land and buildings was set out in the White Paper on Industrial Policy published in July 1984. This policy requires the IDA to reduce the amount of available factory space at any one time to two million sq. ft. The rationale behind this was to rectify the position where the supply of these facilities had greatly outstripped demand.
There is not an embargo on construction per se which continues to be undertaken by the IDA in accordance with their existing plans and commitments. In this regard, the IDA have provided four incubator units of 1,000 sq. ft. each in Gorey, two of which have been allocated to specific projects. In Enniscorthy, the IDA have been promoting the three small industry units of 3,378 sq. ft. each provided by a private developer, two of which have been allocated. In addition, the IDA will actively promote any factory units which become available either through private investment or otherwise.
The IDA have also available land banks of 12 acres in Gorey, 27½ acres in New Ross and 19 acres in Enniscorthy which are being promoted for suitable industries. Accordingly, I would not concede that the areas mentioned are at a serious disadvantage by virtue of Government policy on advance factory construction.
The Minister is side-stepping the question. I am not talking about incubator units. I am talking about a major advance factory for each of the three towns. The Minister has no other alternative but to concede that those three towns are at a serious disadvantage when the IDA bring itineraries into those areas. We have no major advance factory and it is a well known fact that people pass through those towns——
The Deputy must ask a question.
Will the Minister concede that, in cases such as those three towns, the embargo should be lifted and that they should be treated in a special way because of the high unemployment figures in the three areas?
(Limerick East): There is an enormous amount of empty factory space around the country.
How much?
(Limerick East): It was reduced by over one billion square feet last year. It is somewhere above two billion square feet now. Availability of empty factory space is not the only attraction for industry. In the areas the Deputy mentioned not only have the IDA this incubator space which attracts in small industry with a potential to grow, but they are also promoting actively the land banks which they have. Some companies much prefer to build a system designed factory rather than coming into an advance factory. I would not agree that there is a serious disadvantage there.
The Minister would have to concede that having advance factory space in Kilkenny or Dublin is of no advantage to the unemployed in Wexford. The unemployment figure in the Enniscorthy, New Ross and Gorey areas is in the region of 20 per cent. The national average is only 17 per cent. We should be given special priority in relation to building advance factories.
The Deputy is making a speech and I will not allow it.
I am making a speech in the interests of the unemployed in Wexford.
The Deputy will have to find another platform to do so.
This is the only place I can make a speech on behalf of those people.
The Deputy will have to comply with the rules.
The Minister and the Government are giving no priority to the unemployment problem in Wexford which is way above the national average.
I am calling the next question.
Will the Minister discuss with the IDA the possibility of giving priority to those three areas in relation to advance factories? He must concede that there is a serious problem in that area.
(Limerick East): As I have already said, there is factory space in Enniscorthy where there is a unit of over 3,000 square feet available. There are two units available in Gorey. It is not correct to say that there is not empty factory space available.
There is no major advance factory.
(Limerick East): There is also land available which is being promoted actively.
I am moving on to the next question.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick East): There is no point in investing taxpayers' money in empty factory space. What we want is jobs and not empty buildings.