Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 3

Adjournment Debate. - Job Creation.

Mr. Timmins

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for the Adjournment debate.

I represent the constituency of Wicklow and east Carlow. There is a general perception that Wicklow is a wealthy county. While I appreciate that parts of it are fairly affluent there are parts that are not. It is similar to the Minister of State's former constituency. One has an image of Galway being vibrant with a university yet in south or east Galway there are areas that lag behind the rest of the county.

The population of west Wicklow and east Carlow is in the region of 14,000. The area is served by the N81, a road which was identified in the national development plan for an upgrade between Blessington and Tallaght. Approximately £2.5 million was available several years ago for initial work on this but the money is no longer there. We have a situation where a road was mentioned for improvement works in the national development plan, money was available but now there is no money in place.

Prior to the early 1970s an adult male in west Wicklow could not do his leaving certificate exam. There was a secondary school for girls in Baltinglass run by the Presentation sisters but right through Blessington, Dunlavin and Baltinglass there was no boys' secondary school that did a leaving certificate. Now, thanks to the vocational system, we have three schools, one in west Wicklow, one in Carlow at Hacketstown and one in Carnew.

The reason I tabled this motion was to ask the Minister to try to place some employment in this area? The N81 that comes to Dublin is chaotic in the mornings. It is a road of inferior quality but is one of the busiest roads coming into Dublin. It needs investment.

The national spatial strategy talks about the mid-east region which refers to Counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. Within that area it identifies two areas, north County Meath and south-west Wicklow, which are contrary to the general perception and economic development of the rest of the region. The Government should work in conjunction with local authorities and with the good staff it has in the area from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA who have brought employment to the county.

I ask the Minister of State to relay the message to the Minister, Deputy Harney, that we would like to see jobs created in west Wicklow, south Wicklow and east Carlow. This is a forgotten area. People from the west of Ireland, good luck to them, have come into the House on a continuous basis to talk about employment and how deprived people are west of the Shannon. However, there are some parts of my constituency that are equally if not more deprived.

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Fahey)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment.

Day-to-day responsibility for job creation rests with the agencies under my Department's aegis, namely, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the county enterprise boards. These bodies are continuing to address the employment needs of west Wicklow and east Carlow and to promote the area for suitable investment projects in the future.

The focus of Enterprise Ireland in working with its client companies is on growing and increasing sales, exports and employment. Enterprise Ireland works with its client companies across all aspects of their business, from strategy to production, research and development to marketing and finance. In addition, Enterprise Ireland strives to maximise the number of sustainable job gains through the creation of new jobs by entrepreneurs setting up new high-potential start-up companies.

Enterprise Ireland has supported 192 projects in County Wicklow. In 2002 there were over 5,400 full-time and 500 part-time employees in Enterprise Ireland assisted companies in the county. Over 20% of these jobs are in companies located in west Wicklow. Indeed, some of the largest employers in the county are located in west Wicklow, including Duffy Meats in Shillelagh and Glenealy Farms in Glenealy.

Mr. Timmins

Glenealy is in east Wicklow.

Mr. Fahey

The industrial estate in Blessington also houses a number of small and medium-sized companies.

In 2002, over €2.2 million was approved for projects in the county. Enterprise Ireland will continue to foster an enterprise culture in the Wicklow area through its close involvement with its existing base of companies and encouraging new high-potential start-ups.

East Carlow has traditionally been an agricultural area, with most of the industrial activity being located in the west of the county, primarily in Bagenalstown, Carlow town and Borris.

In 2002, there were 2,524 full-time and 308 part-time jobs in Enterprise Ireland client companies in County Carlow. Enterprise Ireland approved support of €200,000 for the Carlow community enterprise centre under its new community enterprise programme in 2002 and an incubation facility for new enterprises at the Carlow Institute of Technology in 2001. In addition, over €2 million was approved for projects in the county in 2002.

Indeed, only yesterday the Minister announced a major jobs initiative for Bagenalstown. Autolaunch, a local enterprise, is a start-up business with high export growth potential which will lead to the creation of 50 high-skilled jobs. Total investment in this project, which is supported by Enterprise Ireland, is €6 million.

Turning to foreign direct investment, IDA Ireland, the agency with statutory responsibility for attracting foreign direct investment into the State, is supporting a number of companies in the west Wicklow area, including Wampfler, a German engineering company which established a business in 1974 which currently has 39 staff in Baltinglass, Icekin Mouldings, which started up in 1987 employing approximately 14 staff and the German company Rupp and Hubrach Opthalmic, which was introduced into Blessington in 1999 and currently employs 96 staff. The latter company is now operating at full capacity and IDA Ireland is in active discussions with Wicklow County Council to free up an adjoining site to facilitate an expansion by the company that will lead to further jobs for the people of west Wicklow.

In addition, the close proximity of the area to Citywest/Tallaght and the towns of Naas and Newbridge means that a considerable number of employment options exist or will come on stream in the future in IDA companies there for the people of west Wicklow. A number of companies in the electronics, internationally traded services and software sectors such as AOL, GE Interlogix, UPS and SAP, have established operations in the Citywest/Tallaght area and will continue to grow and create jobs in line with projections.

Carlow town is the main area of attraction for foreign direct investment in County Carlow. In promoting Carlow town for development IDA Ireland is developing a new 70 acre business and technology park and planning permission has already been granted for two 50,000 sq. ft. high-specification office buildings in the park. IDA Ireland is also in discussion with developers to build a 25,000 sq. ft. advance factory in the park to attract more traditional manufacturing type investment. New projects will be targeted at the international services sector, including software development, financial services and customer services operations.

Carlow is included in the south-east regional plan to introduce broadband interconnectivity between major towns in the region. This is currently being worked on and when operational will further increase the attractiveness of east Carlow to foreign investors.

The county enterprise boards in Carlow and Wicklow continue to work actively with local people to set up, grow and develop micro-enterprises. The boards, whose work results in dispersed economic development throughout the region provide a comprehensive system of capital and employment grants, and support, mentoring, advice, training and development for new and existing micro-enterprises.

In 2002, the latest year for which figures are available, approximately €264,000 was approved in grant funding creating a net total of 51 jobs in west Wicklow and east Carlow. An enterprise awareness roadshow was carried out in Hacketstown in 2002 and a start your own business course was also delivered in the area. I further understand that other initiatives such as the women in business initiative and a management development programme were delivered in the region. The Carlow and Wicklow boards will continue to remain active in helping new and existing micro-enterprises in the area.

While not having a specific job creation remit, FÁS in its role of increasing the employment skills of the workforce, provides a range of supports in the region. It also supports 112 employees in community employment enterprises through the social economy programme.

I am confident that the initiatives being pursued by my Department's agencies, in partnership with other local organisations and in the context of the Government's continued commitment to regional development, will result in benefits to the west Wicklow and east Carlow areas.