Cecilia Keaveney
Question:107 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the efforts being made to address unemployment in the north west region. [21906/01]
Written Answers. - Unemployment Levels.
The CSO live register monthly area analysis shows that numbers claiming unemployment benefits in the north west region, comprising counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, have fallen from 17,822 in March 1997 to 13,935 at the end of August 2001. This represents a drop of 22%.
However, live register figures include those working part-time. The Quarterly National Household Survey shows that numbers fully unemployed in the Border region, which includes the three relevant counties, declined from 14,700, or 8.9% of the labour force, in November 1998 to 9,900, or 5.5% of the labour force, in May 2001. During this period, those in employment in the Border region increased by 13%, from 150,000 to 170,000.
Data from the industrial development agencies – IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development, Údarás na Gaeltachta, and the County Enterprise Boards – show that, in the period 1997-2000, jobs created exceeded job losses by around 700 in the three north west counties. Furthermore, IDA is seeking in 2001 to maintain its target, achieved in 2000, of delivering 50% of new internationally mobile jobs to the Border, midlands and west, BMW, region. Enterprise Ireland, in addition to fostering exist ing clients with high growth potential and providing incubation and start-up space, is identifying new opportunities involving expansion-minded Dublin-based companies. In the past two years, six such companies have expanded into the north west region.
I have recently announced a number of significant new projects for the region, including Prumerica Systems, Pacificare, Interventional Technologies and Kirchhoff Ireland in Letterkenny, Forward Emphasis in Malin, Iontas in Moville, MBNA in Carrick-on-Shannon, Abbott Ireland in Sligo, and in the past few days projects by Mulmuf Limited and a major investment by Transware, both also in Sligo. These and other projects recently announced for the region have the potential to create almost 2,000 jobs.
My Department and its agencies are taking a number of actions to ensure the continuing attractiveness of the north west region, including the completion of the infrastructural elements of the national development plan – this will take on board the recommendations of the upcoming national spatial strategy – the implementation by both IDA and Enterprise Ireland of their enhanced regional strategies; the deepening of the country's skills base, with particular emphasis on the initiatives of the newly established Science Foundation Ireland; and exploiting, through co-operation with Intertrade Ireland, the opportunities for enterprise which are opening up as a result of the peace process.
The Deputy will however appreciate the potential impact of the serious and unforeseen factors which have emerged recently, namely foot and mouth disease, the escalating downturn in the information and communications technology industry world-wide, and the tragic events in the US. Inevitably the combination of these factors will act to substantially moderate our recent exceptional performance. I am, however, confident that the country can weather this difficult time effectively given the continuing strong fundamentals of our economy.