Written Answers. - Job Creation.
Dermot Ahern
Question:
258
Mr. D. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Enterprise and Employment
if he will release the latest figures regarding jobs lost and jobs created in the north east region and in the north west region; the way these figures compare with other regions; the proposals, if any, the Government has in order to redress the situation in the event of the figures proving that the north east region is one of the worst in this respect in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5147/97]
The latest figures from the IDA and Forbairt for jobs lost and jobs created, and jobs created by enterprises assisted by the county enterprise boards in the north east-north west region during 1996 are:
North East Regions
|
Source
|
Job Gains
|
Job Losses
|
Net Change
|
|
Forbairt
|
1,056
|
892
|
164
|
|
IDA Ireland
|
100
|
660
|
–560
|
|
County Enterprise Boards
|
272
|
|
272
|
|
Overall Total
|
1,428
|
1,552
|
–124
|
North West Region
|
Source
|
Job Gains
|
Job Losses
|
Net Change
|
|
Forbairt
|
622
|
598
|
24
|
|
IDA Ireland
|
297
|
471
|
–174
|
|
County Enterprise Boards
|
258
|
|
258
|
|
Overall Total
|
1,177
|
1,069
|
108
|
Figures for jobs created only are available for the county enterprise boards. The following tables show the jobs gains and losses for the other regions and the national totals for IDA and Forbairt assisted firms and the job gains for CEB-assisted enterprises.
IDA Ireland
|
Region
|
Job Gains
|
Job Losses
|
Net Change
|
|
West
|
971
|
–376
|
595
|
|
Mid-West
|
1,225
|
–784
|
471
|
|
South-West
|
1,189
|
–520
|
669
|
|
South-East
|
1,459
|
–702
|
757
|
|
East
|
7,436
|
–2,160
|
5,276
|
|
Midlands
|
472
|
–126
|
346
|
|
National Total*
|
13,179
|
–5,799
|
7,380
|
*Includes North-East and North-West Regions.
Forbairt
|
Region
|
Job Gains
|
Job Losses
|
Net Change
|
|
Dublin
|
4,459
|
–2,879
|
1,580
|
|
Mid-East
|
1,388
|
–643
|
745
|
|
Midlands
|
776
|
–469
|
307
|
|
Mid-West
|
105
|
–32
|
73
|
|
South-East
|
1,369
|
–691
|
678
|
|
South-West
|
1,610
|
–824
|
786
|
|
West
|
759
|
–373
|
386
|
|
National Total*
|
12,144
|
–7,401
|
4,743
|
*Includes North-East and North-West Regions.
County Enterprise Board
|
County
|
1996 Full Time
|
1996 Part Time
|
|
Carlow
|
84
|
51
|
|
Cavan
|
99
|
43
|
|
Clare
|
101
|
19
|
|
Cork City
|
64
|
0
|
|
Cork North
|
56
|
0
|
|
Cork South
|
66
|
0
|
|
Cork West
|
56
|
0
|
|
Donegal
|
67
|
23
|
|
Dublin City
|
115
|
0
|
|
Fingal
|
50
|
0
|
|
South Dublin
|
157
|
0
|
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown
|
132
|
1
|
|
Galway County and City
|
201
|
12
|
|
Kerry
|
93
|
97
|
|
Kildare
|
102
|
15
|
|
Kilkenny
|
62
|
5
|
|
Laois
|
118
|
21
|
|
Leitrim
|
55
|
0
|
|
Limerick City
|
63
|
0
|
|
Limerick County
|
143
|
0
|
|
Longford
|
112
|
14
|
|
Louth
|
91
|
6
|
|
Mayo
|
80
|
13
|
|
Meath
|
132
|
0
|
|
Monaghan
|
31
|
2
|
|
Offaly
|
80
|
48
|
|
Roscommon
|
67
|
10
|
|
Sligo
|
68
|
45
|
|
Tipperary North
|
116
|
43
|
|
Tipperary South
|
69
|
34
|
|
Waterford City
|
79
|
0
|
|
Waterford County
|
55
|
19
|
|
Westmeath
|
21
|
0
|
|
Wexford
|
79
|
3
|
|
Wicklow
|
84
|
22
|
|
Total
|
3,048
|
546
|
As indicated in my replies to Deputies O'Hanlon and Leonard on 4 February last, while it is true that performance in job creation in 1996 in the north east region was disappointing, this was principally due to the substantial job losses, approximately 504 in Keytronic, Dundalk during the year. Also, turbulence in the market for beef as well as over capacity in the pig slaughtering facilities nationally resulted in significant job losses in the pigment and beef processing sectors in the north east which increased the job loss figure in the region. Steps are well under way to offset these losses.
New IDA projects announced during 1996 for the northeast region, EPC Corporation and DSC Communication, are currently in start-up phases and will, over the next few years, create significant employment and assist in re-establishing growth across the region.
More generally, I made an overall statement on the need to ensure greater regional distribution of new employment in response to the priority question from Deputy O'Rourke on 4 February 1997.
