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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 5

Written Answers. - Job Creation.

Theresa Ahearn

Question:

67 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on the work of the special task force established in County Tipperary; the number of jobs created in the county in the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12250/99]

Nora Owen

Question:

81 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report on the work of the special task force established in County Tipperary; the number of jobs created in the county in the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12345/99]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 81 together.

There are three task forces of relevance.

The Clonmel Task Force was established in December 1997 with the principal focus of finding a replacement industry for the Seagate plant. In April 1998 following on the work of the task force I announced an expansion of 200 jobs for Clonmel Healthcare.

In July 1988 I announced that Guidant Corporation, a global leader in the medical devices sector, had decided to establish a 518 person project over five years in the former Seagate facility. The work of the Clonmel task force was brought to a conclusion following this announcement. Guidant Corporation are progressing well and in March 1999, the Taoiseach announced a 700 person expansion project for the company.
An inter-agency group was established in February 1999 in response to Schiesser's announcement that its Clonmel plant would close on 2 April 1999. The group has met on a regular basis with the objective of finding an alternative industry to take over the building in Clonmel.
The current position is that Hydrotech, an IDA Ireland client company located in Carrick-on-Suir, have purchased the facility and will be relocating to Clonmel. As a result of this the focus of the inter-agency group has now transferred to Carrick-on-Suir and IDA Ireland will actively market Carrick-on-Suir for new investment.
I announced the establishment of the North Tipperary enterprise initiative on 28 March 1999 in response to the announcement by C. M. Offray in Roscrea of their decision to close their facility. Two meetings have taken place to date. A brochure has been produced on the Offray facility and the IDA Ireland will continue to market Roscrea for overseas industry.
Jobs created by client companies of the industrial development agencies in Tipperary in 1997 and 1998 were as follows:

Agency

1997

1998

IDA Ireland

130

212

Enterprise Ireland (South Tipperary)

135

185

Shannon Development (North Tipperary)

247

195

Tipperary North County Enterprise Board*

94

87

Tipperary South County Enterprise Board**

91

47

Total

697

726

*Includes part-time 59 in 1997 and 36 in 1998.
**Includes part-time 24 in 1997 and 8 in 1998.
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