asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the new areas which have been recently designated for higher rates of grant under the Industrial Development Acts; the criteria which were used in deciding that these particular areas should be designated; if any areas in the country that are already designated are being deprived of designation; if there are any areas in the country which are still being considered for designation; and the criteria being used.
Written Answers. - Areas Designated for Industrial Grants.
30.
The Government have recently agreed to the designation of Counties Louth, Wexford, Wicklow and Offaly and a small industrial site in Mayfield, Cork, for the higher rate of industrial grant for a period of three years.
The overall basis for the Government decision was a report entitled "Designation of Areas for Industrial Policy" produced by the National Economic and Social Council in September 1985, which recommended objective criteria for determining the areas to be designated. These criteria are based on labour market imbalances which is a broadly defined measure of unemployment. None of the existing designated areas is being deprived of designation status.
I have no proposals at present to make any further changes in the designated areas.