Vol. 487 No. 3
88 Miss Coughlan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs created by the IDA and Forbairt in Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Donegal town, Killybegs and Ballybofey-Stranorlar in each of the years in 1996, 1997 and to date in 1998; and the proposals, if any, to provide employment in these areas in 1998. [4117/98]
During 1996, 401 new jobs were created in IDA Ireland and Forbairt assisted companies in County Donegal with the figure for 1997 of 308 new jobs. Information for 1998 is not as yet available. The information sought in respect of the individual towns named by the Deputy is not available.
IDA Ireland is committed to securing new projects for the north-west region, particularly County Donegal, and every effort is being made to ensure that this happens during 1998. IDA Ireland has put in place a number of specific measures for the Donegal area including financial incentives which are biased in favour of regional locations such as Donegal; working in partnership with the local authorities in the region to provide high quality sites. An example of this is in Letterkenny, where IDA Ireland is developing a 27 acre business park in conjunction with Donegal County Council. Serviced sites are also available in Donegal, Ballyshannon and Buncrana; a new 20,000 sq. ft. advance factory building to be constructed in Letterkenny as soon as planning permission has been received; Letterkenny being promoted for international service projects due to the availability of graduates from Letterkenny Regional Technical College with appropriate skills and the allocation of two senior managers to work with the north-west/Donegal regional office in attracting small German companies to the area.
Forbairt for its part is actively engaged in seeking industrial and other employment for County Donegal and is involved in a number of initiatives in this regard including: working with Donegal County Council in examining means of developing both existing companies in the fish processing sector and the infrastructure in Killybegs to maintain and grow the port's strategic importance; the agency has promoted a number of seminars in Letterkenny encouraging involvement in teleworking; in November 1996 Forbairt approved assistance for a community enterprise centre in Ballyshannon; Donegal County Council has undertaken with Forbairt's help an assessment of a potential industrial estate for Killybegs; the initiative for Killybegs manufacturing industries to investigate servicing the offshore oil industry for Killybegs.
