Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 1

Written Answers. - Industrial Development.

Enda Kenny

Question:

53 Mr. Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the efforts she has made in order to secure a replacement industry arising from 230 redundancies at a company (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3943/02]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney):

I regret the company's decision to introduce 230 redundancies at its plant in County Mayo. The decision is due to the current economic downturn, resulting in a restructuring of the company's worldwide operations. It is expected that the redundancy programme will be completed by the end of March 2002. FÁS, the national training and employment authority, currently has three officers involved in interviewing employees who are being made redundant at the company. As well as offering guidance interviews, FÁS is endeavouring to assess the training needs of the relevant employees. In addition, FÁS has held meetings with Meitheal Mhaigh Eo, the County Mayo Partnership Company and the Mayo Local Employment Service, which are also involved in providing appropriate assistance.

On a more positive note, I am pleased that Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corporation of the USA, a leading developer and producer of precision wire products for the world-wide medical devices industry, is to invest €3.4 million, with the support of IDA Ireland, in the establishment of a European operations centre for the manufacture and distribution of its products at Castlebar, County Mayo. The new facility will create 80 new jobs over the next five years. Fort Wayne Metals will be the first tenant at the new IDA business and technology park in the town. The Castlebar operation will manufacture, in a high quality, skilled operation, precision wire for the medical devices industry in Europe, where the company has a strong customer base. The new operation will be housed in a customised 25,000 sq. ft. facility which Fort Wayne Metals is to construct at the park and which it aims to have completed by the end of 2002. It will partner the National Centre of Biomedical Engineering Science at the National University of Ireland, Galway, to carry out research in some specific areas. I have asked the industrial development agencies to continue to do their utmost to secure alternative employment opportunities and actively promote Castlebar as a location for further investment.