Ned O'Keeffe
Question:160 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment his Department's policy regarding having new manufacturing units available on demand for prospective industrialists and employers. [5412/95]
Written Answers. - Industrial Development.
Policy in relation to industrial property is to ensure the availability of land and buildings to facilitate industrial development, and, particularly, the attraction of mobile investment. In implementing this policy the aim is to maximise private sector involvement in the provision of factory space, thus minimising the cost to the taxpayer. Funding is provided by my Department to Forfás and to Shannon Development to support the provision of industrial space in those instances where private sector involvement is not feasible.
The provision of manufacturing units is one element only in the industrial property activities of the agencies. In addition to supporting the construction of new factory space they are involved in land acquisition, site development and the refurbishment of existing stock of factory space to adapt it to current industrial needs.
The balance of agency activity in any given period, as and between the various elements of the property portfolio outlined above, is a day to day matter for the agency concerned and one in which I have no direct function.