Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Jun 2014

Adjournment Matters

Job Retention

Senator David Cullinane

It is not a good time for Waterford or the workers of Bausch & Lomb. Last Thursday, the dreadful news was delivered to us that the management had called in the members of staff to inform them that it was seeking 200 redundancies and pay cuts of 20% for the remaining 900 staff. Since then, there has been much discussion and many meetings between Oireachtas Members and the management of the company, between Oireachtas Members and the Minister's office and the Department, and between the enterprise agencies and the company. More important, union representatives are locked in discussions with management and we wish both parties well in their discussions. We are looking forward to a better outcome in terms of what was announced a number of weeks ago. I appeal to the Minister to ensure that every effort is made to protect and maintain jobs at the plant in Waterford and that every resource of the State, in terms of the enterprise agencies and the industrial relations machinery, is made available to the union, the workforce and the company to get the best possible outcome.

Perhaps the Minister will outline the discussions that have taken place between the Department, the Minister and the company in the lead-up to the announcement and why trade unions were kept in the dark about what was happening. It seems the workers and their union representatives were the last to find out. Perhaps the Minister can explain the supports offered in respect of supporting and retaining jobs at the plant. My understanding, from discussions with the vice president of the company, is that any support the Government is willing to offer is completely independent of the €20 million saving they say must be achieved to make the company viable. This includes the 200 redundancies and pay cuts of 20%. Why is Government support not part of an overall package to mitigate the effect, especially the 20% pay cut that unions have articulated as unsustainable for families? We need the Minister and the Government to be active participants in what is happening. I acknowledge that the Minister has had discussions with the company and has put on record the Government's willingness to support the company where it can. How will that happen? What tangible support can be put in place and what practical support has been offered to the company?

The Minister knows there is understandable anger and frustration in Waterford because of the overall jobs situation in a jobs crisis. Even if we can mitigate the number of redundancies the company seeks and the pay cuts, there will be considerable hurt and the workforce must endure redundancies and some level of pay cuts. That will have an impact on the local economy, especially in a city with high levels of unemployment such as in Waterford city, the county and the south east. What practical steps has the Government taken to implement the Forfás report, published by an arm of the State that comes within the remit of the Minister, which made clear recommendations? Have all of the recommendations been implemented? The Minister is aware of the south-east economic development strategy published by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation last year. A similar report was published by the newly merged authority in Waterford city and county, making similar risk recommendations about the need for a university, a level playing field for foreign direct investment, regional grant aid, a regional office of the IDA based in Waterford, a regional director of the IDA based in Waterford, and a regional strategy of the enterprise agencies working to a regional plan.

What concrete proposals have been implemented by the Minister and the Government since the reports were published? Does the Minister agree that far more must be done to shore up, protect, maintain and create jobs in Waterford city add county and the south-east region generally?

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Deputy Richard Bruton)

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I share his concerns following the recent developments in Bausch & Lomb initiated by the new owners of the company. I fully realise the exceptional pressures on workers and their families that stem from the restructuring proposals made by Bausch & Lomb. The company has provided significant numbers of jobs in Waterford for several decades for which it has been a valuable part of Waterford's industrial landscape. IDA Ireland has worked closely with it to help it to develop the plant in the city and seek to safeguard its future here. With IDA Ireland, I have been engaging with Bausch & Lomb for some time on recent developments in an effort to secure as many jobs as possible in Waterford. The company has stated its clear preference is to keep the Waterford plant open. I have been assured by it that it is seeking to introduce voluntary redundancies in the first instance. I am pleased to confirm that my Department and IDA Ireland are proposing substantial financial support for a major investment by the company to secure its future and position it for expansion in the event that restructuring is successful.

I met senior executives from SIPTU earlier today when we had a constructive discussion on all aspects of the difficulties. It is heartening that the discussions which commenced between the company and the unions in Waterford yesterday appear to be progressing in a satisfactory manner, although, of course, there are significant obstacles to be tackled. I urge both sides to engage constructively in discussions to secure the future of the plant and position it for future investment.

The Deputy has raised some other issues. In cases in which companies are facing difficult decisions there is an early warning system in place under which we seek to be alerted to difficulties such that IDA Ireland can work with them to try to maximise job protection. Clearly, such discussions cannot be held in public or made public knowledge for public representatives. Having said that, I can understand people wishing to know everything that is happening. By their nature, these discussions are confidential and we work with companies, especially publicly quoted companies such as Bausch & Lomb, while respecting that there must be confidentiality. It is essential that we be able to work with companies to maximise the protection of jobs. I realise this issue got into the media before the company had an opportunity to sit down with the workforce and can understand how people were upset by this. As always, our efforts involve working with many companies that have different difficulties to try to maximise job protection in all cases.

I accept what the Senator says about the challenges faced in the area. On my initiative we took steps to put a particular concentrated focus on the south east. That continues to be the case and we have recorded progress in some areas. Of course, further work remains to be done. As part of An Action Plan for Jobs 2014 we are committed to developing a regional enterprise framework for the south east. However, as is the case for all regions, we need to look more carefully at the potential to develop the regions and their competitive advantages. I am moving to create a framework whereby all stakeholders can have a meaningful role to play. I acknowledge that this is something we need to develop and that it has not really been a part of enterprise strategy in the past.

Senator David Cullinane

Unfortunately, the early warning system did not involve the workers. I am not in any way concerned about the information public representatives are given. As it turned out, I ended up receiving information before the workers and the trade union. Clearly, the early warning system did not work for the workers.

I raised the wider issue of job creation in Waterford. The point I was making was related to the south-east economic development strategy and its core recommendations. I am making a direct appeal to the Minister. Is he prepared to meet me to discuss the report, its recommendations and the efforts that can be made by him and Government agencies to implement the report? Will he give me that commitment?

Deputy Richard Bruton

IDA Ireland's early warning system is about identifying companies within its remit that are facing difficulties and seeking to work through a transformation agenda. Over three quarters of IDA Ireland's budget is spent on the transformation agenda and working with companies to reposition them to protect jobs for the future. This work is not done in the public arena, rather it is done on the basis of confidentiality, which is expected by companies in their dealings with IDA Ireland. The agency must do this. Naturally, companies must work with their employees, but the relationship between them is a matter for which they take responsibility. We try to pre-empt job losses in every way we can and that is what we have sought to do in this case. We have published the south-east action plan and I have had several meetings with stakeholders in the south east. I am always open to and will plan to have further meetings with them. I have also met public representative and I am always open to meeting them.

Senator David Cullinane

I was referring to the joint Oireachtas committee's south-east economic development strategy report.

An Cathaoirleach

The Minister to continue, without interruption.

Deputy Richard Bruton

I am always open to meeting public representatives and I have no problem meeting them. This is an area in which I have taken an initiative to place a focus on the south east. I have recognised the need identified and taken an active role in trying to meet it. I welcome the support of public representatives in seeking to meet it.

Regional Development

Senator Hildegarde Naughton

I welcome the Minister and thank him for addressing this important issue.

The most recent figures available from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation indicate that IDA Ireland has not achieved its 50% investment target in areas outside Dublin and Cork. In fact, investments outside these two areas in the period 2010 to 2013 accounted for only 35% of all foreign direct investment announcements. The IDA Ireland strategy for the period 2010 to 2014, Horizon 2020, set a regional economic development target of 50% of investments in regions outside Dublin and Cork. In fact, this figure was vastly undershot. Only 35% of all investments in the three year period to 2013 were in areas outside Dublin and Cork. The actual monetary amounts in grant aid reveal the disparity in starker detail. In the three years to the end of 2012 IDA Ireland made grant payments to its client companies in Dublin totalling €111,620,999, with companies in Cork receiving €49,520,980, while companies in Galway lagged well behind, receiving €35,808,683. Companies in Limerick received even less.

I understand that under an Action Plan for Jobs 2014 IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are working with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to develop a framework for a regional enterprise strategy to better integrate the work of the various state agencies involved, in conjunction with an analysis by Forfás of the foreign direct investment strategy. What is the position on the development of these projects? Rather than simply taking pot shots, we should be honest: by and large, technology workers wish to locate in cosmopolitan areas. Our manufacturing base is changing and it is increasingly difficult to attract jobs in what was the traditional industrial production sector, into which China, India and the East are fast expanding. The days when the local Deputy was able to organise a factory to open in the local town or village are long gone and anyone who suggests otherwise is merely playing politics. The new areas of excellence are due to our young workforce being able to compete in knowledge terms in the areas of research, finance, technology and related services.

While I acknowledge the attractions of Dublin and Cork as locations for investment, other areas have a considerable amount to offer. Dublin and Cork are not the only areas in Ireland which offer cosmopolitan living.

The recent sod turning for the remaining motorway between Galway and Gort will bring a major international airport within an hour's drive of Galway and also make the commute between Galway and Limerick very easy. We also have Knock international airport on the doorstep, as well as a first class motorway to Dublin from both Galway and Limerick. Galway is a hub for the medical devices industry, with Ireland fast becoming increasingly recognised as a major player in that sector. Galway is also well known for its cultural attractions and many festivals.

While I welcome IDA Ireland resuming building in regional locations, particularly the recent announcements of the construction of advanced technology buildings in the midlands and the south east, are there plans for similar developments along the western seaboard? There is an enormous imbalance in the current system and a need for much greater concentration on regional development in the foreign direct investment strategy.

Deputy Richard Bruton

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. She has underlined to a degree some of the difficulties facing IDA Ireland in securing a regional spread. Much of the mobile investment in recent years has been high tech, high skill, research-related investment which has, to a large degree, been focused on cities that offer that environment. The figures show that Galway is not doing particularly badly. It has had major employment expansion under IDA Ireland in each of the last three years; therefore, it is a very competitive urban environment in that context.

The Senator raised the wider issue of the ambition IDA Ireland had set in its original strategy of 50% of new investments in regions outside Dublin and Cork. It has been unable to achieve that target. The result for 2013, at 30%, was ahead of the outcome of 25% in 2012. Clearly, we would like to do better in this regard. To that end, we are considering a broad-based regional enterprise strategy. In looking at regional enterprise strategies we must also have a realistic view of the role of foreign investment. Foreign investment overall in Ireland represents approximately 8% of employment; 92% of employment is represented by other areas. Too often the debate on the need to develop successful regions tends to revolve around securing IDA Ireland companies. It is certainly my ambition to win IDA Ireland companies, but it is also my ambition to develop a strong indigenous engine of growth. In that context, the west has been particularly successful in identifying medical devices as a sector. Not only has it attracted some of the big international players with which we are familiar, it has also developed a very strong indigenous sub-sector. In many ways, it is one of the best examples of a thruster, where there are both international and domestic players. We must look at sectors in which regions have a competitive advantage. That means examining traditional areas of strength such as food production and tourism, as well as new areas of strength such as medical devices and ICT and seeking to identify where regions have a competitive advantage and building on it.

As the Senator correctly pointed out, we have reviewed the foreign directive investment strategy. Forfás has done work in that area which is close to completion. I hope it will help us to identify mobile investments that we could win and that would fit the competitive advantage of different regions. To promote that thinking we have got IDA Ireland to focus on emerging companies that are making their first move outside their home base in the United States, typically, or Europe. We have sought to identify these as companies that would probably be willing to look at regional locations more favourably than others. We have also developed ConnectIreland as a way of using the regional contacts people have as part of the instruments for attracting foreign investment.

We fought off efforts at EU level to narrow the amount of regional aid we can give. The European Union's initial proposal was that just 25% of the country be eligible for regional aid. We succeeded in reversing that figure to 51%. This year, therefore, we have been able to include County Kerry, for example, and three individual locations in Arklow, Kells and Athy, which allows us to give regional aid in these areas. That is an important tool for both Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in seeking to develop a better regional spread. We also fought off efforts at EU level to withdraw all aid to larger companies in the regions, which was the European Union's initial proposal. We have protected that tool.

As public representatives, we must look more at entrepreneurship and its development within areas and regions. The local enterprise offices have been put in place and are a very good model. They are rooted in a service level agreement with Enterprise Ireland which is the centre of excellence in developing new policy and have a local presence with the local authorities in order that they bring the might of the local authorities to bear on creating an environment that supports start-ups. While I acknowledge that we would like to do better in IDA Ireland area and that we will continue to seek to develop ways of doing this, we also seek a broader discussion of the challenges in developing a strong enterprise sector in the regions based on their competitive advantages. We must broaden that debate from just seeking to win a mobile investment. A far deeper debate is required. I hope that by establishing a regional enterprise framework we will be able to meet stakeholders in each region and have that broader debate which, of course, is also essential in winning additional foreign investment. We must put our best foot forward in each region.

Senator Hildegarde Naughton

I thank the Minister. I accept and agree with the emphasis on the indigenous sector and entrepreneurship. That is key and I welcome the efforts the Minister has made in the past three years in this area. He has worked very hard in that regard. Perhaps he might return to the Seanad in the future to update us on the development of the regional enterprise framework and regional development in respect of foreign direct investment.

Deputy Richard Bruton

I would be happy to do so. We are focusing on it and I hope we will be in a position to update the Seanad later in the year.

Commemorative Events

Senator Averil Power

I welcome the Minister. As President Higgins pointed out earlier this year, the contribution of women to Irish history has not been adequately recognised by the State. One area in which this is very evident is the lack of commemorative public works of art to acknowledge the role women played in securing our independence and building the modern Irish State. In fact, of 34 statues of people in Dublin city, only four are of women and there are just a handful of sculptures scattered throughout the city. These commemorative structures and the fact that women are so vastly under-represented among them reinforce the bias towards men and their narratives in our history.

In the run-up to the 1916 centenary celebrations it is important that we reflect fairly on Irish history. It presents us with an opportunity re-evaluate the significant roles played by various people, male and female, who have not been given sufficient recognition to date.

This gives an opportunity to redress the balance in our public works of art towards women and acknowledge the role played by women in bringing about the Ireland of today. I welcome the recent naming of the new bridge over the Liffey after Rosie Hackett but there is still a long way to go.

I understand the Government is planning a number of commemorative projects for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. How were these projects selected? Was there a public call for the inclusion of certain works of art? Do any of the projects selected recognise the contribution of women to that period in our history? I know the Minister has received a proposal from Stuart Dunne relating to a sculpture of Molly O'Reilly. She was a young girl when she raised the flag of the Irish Republic and the proposed sculpture is to be a life-size statue depicting her in the act of doing so. This is symbolic of the role played by women throughout the period. I have written to the Minister on a number of occasions on this matter and I asked my colleague, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, to table a parliamentary question on the issue in the Dáil. The reply he received said the Minister could not commission additional sculptures as part of the centenary commemorations because he had already completed the selection of artworks. Will the Minister reconsider his position on this? The sculpture of Molly O'Reilly is a worthwhile piece of art and most of the work on it is already done. It would be nice to see it displayed in Dublin. How many of the projects chosen by the Minister recognise the contribution of women to Irish independence?

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jimmy Deenihan)

I thank Senator Power for raising this topic. Before considering the commemorations of the 1916 Easter Rising I was conscious the contribution of women to the movement for Irish independence had not been given appropriate official recognition. I welcome the opportunity to address this in the commemorative arrangements for the decade of centenaries. In partnership with the Women's History Association of Ireland a series of special commemorative events was prepared to mark the centenary of the founding of Cumann na mBan. I am very pleased that this partnership continues and that the role and achievements of women will be acknowledged in the coming years. I am also pleased to support a series of events relating to the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, including a formal commemoration led by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, and a commemorative conference of the Women's History Association of Ireland held at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks. I also note the recent official opening of the Rosie Hackett Bridge in the centre of Dublin. The forthcoming centenary of the landing of arms at Howth and Kilcoole will be an opportunity to remember the contribution of members of Cumann na mBan, including Molly O'Reilly. I understand Ms O'Reilly stored imported arms at her home. I am also conscious of the sacrifices made by women seeking suffrage and by those supporting the many Irishmen wounded in the First World War.

The Senator will appreciate that capital resources available for commemorative initiatives have been committed to key projects so that they will be completed in time for the commemorations of the Easter Rising. These priority projects were identified in my statement on the budget in the House on 16 October 2013 and in the statement of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 13 May 2014. In general, these projects relate to the development of visitor facilities at locations of significance to the Easter Rising and to the independence movement. Responsibility for the promotion of the arts, including sculpture and visual art, has been largely devolved to the Arts Council. The Arts Council is the principal agency through which State funding is channelled to the arts and it is a statutory independent body. It is funded by my Department and is independent in its day-to-day operations. I have no role in its funding decisions. The Arts Council engages with local authorities in supporting public art installations and I understand that, as memorials located in public spaces, sculptures cannot be considered solely on artistic merit. Issues relating to location and context are essential features of any proposal brought forward for consideration. I would be pleased to see the sculpture mentioned by Senator Power brought to completion if it were considered appropriate for inclusion in a current or future project.

I am glad to have had this opportunity to address the House and to underline the importance of commemorating the hugely significant role played by women in our political, social and cultural history.

Senator Averil Power

I thank the Minister for his response and welcome the fact that a number of events are taking place this year and in coming years to commemorate the work of women and organisations such as Cumann na mBan. It is important that there be more balance in public works of art. It is wrong that people walking around Dublin will see 30 statues of men and only four of women. I could give the Minister a list of women who were involved in the labour movement. I do not refer only to Countess Markievicz, who has two statues in Dublin city. I refer to the many other women who were involved in the Irish Citizen Army, the struggle for independence, the campaign for universal suffrage and numerous other issues who have not been acknowledged. There is a deficit and I had hoped we could use the opportunity presented by the centenary commemorations to redress this.

The Minister referred to a list of commemorative projects that was laid before the House. I do not know what those projects are as I did not have a chance to see the list before attending the Chamber today. I am somewhat unclear as to whether these projects will specifically commemorate the role of women and redress the imbalance that has been outlined. I ask the Minister to revisit this matter and see the statue proposed by Stuart Dunne, as much work has been completed on it and it only requires a place to be displayed in Dublin.

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

I agree that the role of women in the Easter Rising and the suffrage movement must be properly recognised. Anna Parnell of the Land League has been forgotten and was buried under a different name in England. The movement known as Inghinidhe na hÉireann, which included Maud Gonne, led to the founding of Cumann na mBan as a response to the founding of the Irish Volunteers, which did not include women. Jennie Wyse Power was involved in founding Cumann na mBan but she is now unknown. She was an extraordinary woman, and the Proclamation of the Irish Republic was signed in her shop. She was involved in two previous movements also but has been airbrushed from history. Agnes O'Farrelly, a professor, chaired the first meeting of Cumann na mBan and is also worthy of further consideration. Elizabeth O'Farrell, a nurse, attended the GPO with the Irish Citizen Army and played a critical role in the surrender. She risked her life as she walked to the barricade on Moore Street, approaching the British forces to tell them the provisional government had decided to surrender. She then conveyed the message around the city. There were some extraordinary women of that period, including Molly Childers and Mary Spring Rice, of whom many people do not know.

I was delighted to collaborate with the Women's History Association of Ireland and Dr. Mary McAuliffe, among others, to highlight the critical role played by Cumann na mBan and those women who founded it in April 1914 in Wynn's Hotel. There is now a plaque at Wynn's Hotel recognising the foundation of Cumann na mBan. I hope the role of women will be recognised during the commemorations. Around 2,000 people took part in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, including members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, IRB, the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Citizen Army and Cumann na mBan. Of the 2,000 who took part, 200 were women, and they did most of the courier work, along with very important medical back-up work. The role of these women was critical but they were not even recognised in some statements made afterwards by their comrades. It was as if their role was not important, which it was. They also played important roles in the War of Independence and the Civil War, in which they were very influential.

It is critical during this decade of cententary commemorations that the role of women is given fair recognition. As long as I have responsibility for the decade of commemorations, I will highlight that fact. I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The major projects will include the GPO and there is a sculpture space there and the money has been committed. I would hope the women who were in the GPO will be represented at the place of sculpture. There is also Richmond Barracks where men and women were taken to before being taken to Kilmainham, and there is Kilmainham Jail itself. I hope they will all be recognised and represented there. The final council of war was held at No. 16 Moore Street. The critical role played by nurse Elizabeth Farrell will have to be recognised. They would be the main centres. There is also Teach an Phiarsaigh in Connemara and the house of Seán Mac Diarmada.

Wherever women had a role that will be recognised in the decade of commemorations. I am sure the Senator will be keeping a watchful eye on it, but I assure her it will be done.

The Seanad adjourned at 8.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 5 June 2014.