My first concern is for the workers who have lost their jobs and in that regard the role of FÁS, the State training agency, is particularly important in assisting those who are being made redundant. FÁS will provide advice and training opportunities for those losing their jobs. The local FÁS Employment Services Manager has been in contact with executives in CIGNA in this regard.
IDA Ireland is working with the management in Cigna to prepare a prospectus of the facility and profile of the workforce, which can be used to market the facility internationally through the offices of IDA Ireland. Enterprise Ireland has a dedicated team for downsizing and closures that will work with the employees in Cigna in the coming months in order to explore potential spin out export orientated enterprises.
The Galway County and City Enterprise Board and Galway Rural Development will also provide supports to employees who wish to establish micro enterprises and move into self employment.
In recent years County Galway has had significant success in attracting investment from multinational firms. IDA continues to work with new and existing overseas companies in Galway to encourage them to grow and expand. In 2008 significant announcements included:
CSN Stores will establish its EMEA Headquarters in Galway, creating 200 positions over the next 36 months in Multilingual Customer Service, IT, Localisation, Finance, HR and Sales & Marketing functions.
Boston Scientific is to invest €50 million, with the support of IDA Ireland, in strategic Research and Development at its Galway facility.
Thermo King, with the support of IDA Ireland, is to undertake a innovative Research and Design project on the next generation ‘environmentally friendly' products at its Galway site.
Beckman Coulter Inc, with the support of IDA Ireland, is to launch an innovative four year collaborative research programme with NUI Galway in the field of Molecular Diagnostics.
A number of other companies in County Galway have announced investments in recent years including Nortel Networks, Smith and Nephew, Fidelity Investments, IBM and Cisco. All of these investments will provide a stream of job opportunities in the region.
The State development agencies under the remit of my Department have adopted a co-ordinated approach in response to recent job losses in County Galway. The practice of establishing task forces has changed since the establishment of the County Development Boards (CDB). Rather than creating a further layer by establishing task forces, the relevant CDB is now seen as the body that is best placed to oversee any additional response that is required over and above the work of the Industrial Development Agencies under the auspices of my Department.
I am confident that the strategies and policies being pursued by the State development agencies together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development will continue to bear fruit in terms of investment and employment for County Galway.
