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Job Creation.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 November 2006

Wednesday, 15 November 2006

Questions (141)

Charlie O'Connor

Question:

203 Mr. O’Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to attract new jobs, particularly for young people, in the Tallaght region; his views on whether Tallaght has suffered from job losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38075/06]

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Written answers

The issue of job creation is a day-to-day operational matter for the industrial development agencies and relevant County Enterprise Boards, and not one in which I have a direct role.

IDA Ireland informs me that it continues to market South County Dublin, including Tallaght and its environs, as a potential location for new foreign direct investment (FDI), in order to secure new investment and additional jobs for the region.

IDA Ireland's strategy for the Dublin area is to attract and expand major FDI projects. South County Dublin is well equipped to compete with other areas for potential foreign direct investment, with superb infrastructural facilities at Citywest and Grangecastle, and a third level Institute of Technology at Tallaght.

Sectors such as pharmaceuticals, provide high value employment. The pharmaceutical company Wyeth Biopharma has established the world's largest biopharma campus facility in Grangecastle, with an investment of €1.8 billion. The company currently employs 1,100 highly skilled people. Wyeth continues to recruit and will eventually employ 1,300 at the facility. Grangecastle is within easy commuting distance of Tallaght.

Last year the Japanese pharmaceuticals company Takeda Pharma Ireland Ltd completed construction of its facility at Grangecastle. This is a significant and important investment from a leading company in Japan, and will highlight Ireland as a key location for other Japanese investors in the future. The project will create approximately 60 high quality jobs upon completion.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) encourages and supports companies adopting new technologies, which will add value to their products and services and help them to compete on world markets. Since the beginning of 2003 Enterprise Ireland has approved over €9.8m and made payments of over €7.7m in support of development projects for indigenous companies in South County Dublin.

EI is also actively involved with the provision of infrastructure to facilitate business development and employment, and has provided funding for the development of Community Enterprise Centres in South Dublin such as Brookfield, Bolbrook and Killinarden. These centres provide incubation space for start-ups and micro enterprises, and also provide ancillary services such as training, mentoring and customised courses to address the needs of the local clients.

Also EI supports the development of business incubation workspace as part of its on-going commitment to fostering links between Colleges and industry, and has provided €2.54m towards the development of incubation space at the Tallaght Institute of Technology. It is anticipated that graduates from the college or members of research teams based in the college will be to the forefront in using the centre, and in creating new jobs, particularly in the high tech sectors.

The South Dublin County Enterprise Board is pro-actively involved in the development of indigenous enterprise, and provides a source of support for small businesses in the region, including the Tallaght area. To date in 2006, South Dublin CEB has paid out circa €400,000 in grant assistance to businesses based in South Dublin. These grants and other related financial supports have assisted in the creation of 56 jobs in the region.

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