Written Answers. - Employment Support Services.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:
154
Cecilia Keaveney
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the progress to date in achieving the aim within the Donegal task force report; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11782/03]
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:
155
Cecilia Keaveney
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the position regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Donegal task force initiative report; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11783/03]
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:
156
Cecilia Keaveney
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
if she is satisfied that the employment agencies are achieving the employment goals of the Donegal employment initiative task force; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11784/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 to 156, inclusive, together.
The Donegal County Development Board is responsible for the implementation of the recommendations in the Donegal task force report. The CDB is implementing the recommendations through a county strategy. This strategy provides for the strategic development of the county over a ten year period. The CDB has indicated that what is required is a co-ordination of local and national resources and a recognition of the particular types of obstacles faced by a county with a peripheral location, which is highly dependent on access and infrastructure for its future development. It is the body that is taking responsibility for this co-ordination and, as such, it is formally overseeing the development needs of the county as a whole.
The CDB discussed the job creation situation in the county as recently as 29 April 2003. Among the items under consideration were the obstacles to inward investment and job creation and, also, diversification of the employment base in the county. As a result, the CDB is drawing up a list of priority actions which can be addressed locally and those which cannot be surmounted purely at a local level. A special CDB meeting is due to take place on 27 May 2003 to consider these actions. The CDB will also be looking to pursue issues which continue to pose obstacles to improving Donegal's inward and domestic investment.
Furthermore, agency activity in Donegal is already being based on strategies which will diversify the sectoral mix of the employment base in the county. A Donegal support network is also under consideration to pursue international contacts and supports for the county. Donegal County Council is currently developing a project structure for this network.
As regards job creation, there have been a number of announcements for Donegal since the task force was established in September 1998. In 1999 Pacificare International announced a project with 150 jobs and, in 2001, a further expansion of 160 jobs was announced. In 2000, Prudential Insurance announced 150 jobs and an expansion of 450 jobs in 2001. This was followed by an expansion of InterVentional Technologies – 78 jobs. More recently, in 2002, Keith Prowse announced a new project with the development of a customer service centre in Buncrana which will create 120 jobs over three years. The current employment level is 70.
Overall, I am satisfied on balance with the work done to date by the industrial development agencies, including the County Development Board, and I look forward to continued progress taking place over the period of the current CDB strategy.
