Skip to main content
Normal View

Action Plan for Jobs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 November 2012

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Questions (139)

Paudie Coffey

Question:

139. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide this Deputy with a detailed progress report on the delivery of the Forfás south east action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50557/12]

View answer

Written answers

I am pleased to report that solid progress is being made on pursuing the objectives of the South East Employment Action Plan, which I initiated following the closure of the Talk Talk Call Centre. All the key State players are actively pursuing initiatives to facilitate development and job creation in the region. I travelled to Waterford during the summer to meet the members of the South-East Forum and I was heartened to hear of the progress being made.

Foremost amongst these has been that Enterprise Ireland has supported the establishment of the Eishtec Call Centre in Waterford city, where employment had reached 280. This is a very significant achievement in a short space of time. Other recent initiatives by Enterprise Ireland in the region included the approval of 14 high quality projects under their Competitive Feasibility Fund. A total of €200,000 has now been committed under this Fund and this will be paid out as the projects develop.

Earlier this year McDonald’s Ireland and Dawn Meats announced that Dawn Meats had been awarded a 5 year €300 million contract to process up to 18,000 tonnes of Irish beef annually for McDonald’s. The deal has led Dawn Meats to invest €14.5 million in a new purpose built, state of the art, beef processing facility in Carroll’s Cross, County Waterford, creating 65 new jobs. This investment was also supported by Enterprise Ireland. Other recent Enterprise Ireland initiatives include the fact that 12 companies have been approved for Graduate Placement, 5 Community Enterprise Centres have been approved for funding to appoint full-time business development managers and there has been a high take-up of the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher scheme in Waterford. Another recent Enterprise Ireland initiative has been the establishment of a 'New Frontiers Programme' in both Carlow and Waterford Institutes of Technology, designed to support entrepreneurs (primarily in the technology and export-focused sectors) in the development of their business plans. There are 20 participants now on this programme.

The two local County Enterprise boards, in the city and county, have created a significant number of new jobs and the South East Regional Authority has secured EU funding for a number of enterprise and innovation-focussed projects.

FAS training services having provided training for over 5,000 people and that Agency is also undertaking a wide range of other training initiatives. Several tourist initiatives are underway in the region and Science Foundation Ireland has funded 8 research awards to Waterford Institute of Technology.

Other developments include the first phase of the €23 million Belview Strategic Water Supply Scheme which was officially opened earlier this year. This will facilitate industrial development and job creation in Kilkenny and the South East. The total investment for this phase of the scheme is €13m.

I will continue to pursue ongoing co-operation and collaboration between all the various stakeholders across the South East region to pursue the Action Plan recommendations.

Top
Share