Written Answers. - Job Creation.
Paul Connaughton
Question:
71
Mr. Connaughton
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the number of jobs created by the Industrial Development Authority and other sources in Tuam town, County Galway in the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000; the reasons there has not been a greater impetus in job creation for Tuam, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27031/01]
The industrial development agencies, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Galway County Enterprise Board do not maintain employment data on a town basis but on a county basis. As such, the data the Deputy has requested are unavailable, but the data regarding the jobs created in County Galway for the years 1997-2000 are included in the following table:
|
IDA Ireland
|
Enterprise Ireland
|
Galway CEB
|
Total
|
|
1997
|
1,334
|
550
|
184
|
2,068
|
|
1998
|
673
|
697
|
239
|
1,609
|
|
1999
|
465
|
680
|
200
|
1,345
|
|
2000
|
1,552
|
376
|
229
|
2,157
|
|
Total
|
4,024
|
2,303
|
852
|
7,179
|
It should also be noted that Údarás na Gaeltachta, under the remit of the Department of the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, has responsibility for the industrial development in Gaeltacht areas, including Connemara and parts of Claregalway. In relation to Tuam specifically, there are three IDA Ireland assisted companies, Transitions Optical, Pulse Engineering and Logstrup, which employed a total of 300 staff between them at the end of 2000. While Pulse Engineering has scaled down its operations in Tuam due to a rationalisation of global operations involving the integration of its European business group into Guildford in the UK and the divesting of its manufacturing organisation involving 56 employees, the company is committed to the retention of its design centre in Tuam. Transition Optical has continued to expand in Tuam in recent years. In September 1997, it announced an expansion creating an additional 75 jobs and in April 1999 it announced an investment of a further IR£14 million in another expansion of its European photochromic plastic spec tacle lenses manufacturing facility, which created an additional 115 jobs.
Employment in Logstrup has also continued to rise from 35 in 1994 to 63 in 2000. IDA Ireland approved a further investment in the company in October 2000. In line with IDA Ireland's strategy of intensifying its focus on the Objective One region, the agency continues to promote Tuam for activities such as healthcare, medical devices, engineering-electronics etc. The agency is also committed to achieving a better distribution of new overseas projects outside the major population centres and to upgrading the quality of jobs in overseas companies by encouraging additional functions and deepening existing functions. Enterprise Ireland works with indigenous industry and with local promoters, and consequently does not tend to have an influence on where new projects may be located. However, the agency's west regional office continues to work with and provide advice and support to local groups such as Action Tuam, with the view to ensuring projects can be developed. There are a number of Enterprise Ireland assisted companies in Tuam which employed a total of 829 people at the end of 2000. These include Connaught Electronics, Home Lee Bedding, Conveyors and Packaging, Larkin Engineering and JFC Manufacturing Limited.
Enterprise Ireland is responding to the changing economic environment and the challenges facing its clients in a number of ways to help them adjust to the changing circumstances. These include enhanced international marketing efforts, the development of a network of venture capital funds, monitoring and improving the sub-supply sector, improving competitiveness, client support services, identification of diversification opportunities and the development of strategies to deal with lower cost challenges. The industrial development agencies are also active in the provision of suitable industrial property solutions. Enterprise Ireland supports the Action Tuam run enterprise centre in Tuam, which was set up in 1990 and now employs approximately 75 people in the centre and a further 300 plus within the immediate area.
IDA Ireland has acquired a 27.5 acre site at Dunmore Road, Tuam, for development as a new business park. Site development works are due to commence within three weeks, to be followed by proposals from private developers for the construction of the first 26,000 square foot advance building, for which planning permission has already been granted. I am confident the measures outlined above which are currently being adopted by the industrial development agencies, as well as the continuing commitment of the Government to regional development will bring further positive results to Tuam.
