Vol. 398 No. 10
39 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if his Department have any responsibility, in terms of assistance towards areas of severe economic decline arising from (1) industrial closure, (2) unemployment and (3) emigration; if so, the law in which it relates to County Roscommon, which has the highest levels of such decline in the State.
51 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a task force comprising of various agencies is working in an attempt to find replacement employment for jobs lost in coalmining and power generation at Arigna, County Roscommon; that this task force is seriously inhibited in its undertakings by lack of resources; and if he has any plans to assist this task force in finding alternative investment and employment for the area.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 51 together. Section 4 of the Industrial Development Act, 1986, empowers me as Minister for Industry and Commerce, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, to nominate certain areas of the country as designated areas. Industrial projects in designated areas are given preferential treatment in terms of the availability of State support. County Roscommon is such a designated area.
It is a matter for the day to day responsibility of the Industrial Development Authority and of other relevant State agencies to actively promote development in different regions. I am confident that the IDA are doing everything they can to promote the development of County Roscommon. Indeed, I understand that manufacturing employment in the county increased by 9 per cent in 1989 and that unemployment fell by 8 per cent in the year to April 1990.
I am aware that a task force comprising various agencies and officials has been established in an attempt to find replacement employment for persons engaged in coalmining and power generation at Arigna, County Roscommon. My Department are represented on the task force. I am not aware of any resource problems inhibiting the work of the task force. I understand that a full-time officer has recently been appointed to work with and assist the task force and that it is well advanced in their work.
