Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
57. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans for creating jobs in County Clare in view of the recent job losses in the county due to plants such as a company (details supplied) closing and recent redundancies in some State bodies particularly in the west of the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35179/20]
View answerI am acutely aware of the loss and uncertainty that is felt by individuals, their families, and whole communities associated with business closure, downsizing and job losses.
In the case of Roche, the remaining 125 employees departed the site in Clarecastle in March 2020. The company provided significant assistance to employees in respect to sourcing alternative employment and many have gained employment in the Life Sciences sector locally. IDA is actively marketing the site through its extensive overseas network to both existing and new investors.
Delivering balanced regional growth through a coherent policy approach to the enterprise needs of every part of Ireland is a stated objective within the Programme for Government and will feature in the forthcoming National Economic Plan.
My Department’s Regional Enterprise Plans are focused on region-specific enterprise development challenges and opportunities and provide a mechanism for joined up actions at the regional level, involving the enterprise agencies, LEOs, local authorities, higher and further education bodies, private sector, and others.
The Regional Enterprise Plan for the Mid West which includes Co. Clare, concludes its 2 year programme at the end of 2020. My intention is to refresh the strategic agenda in the Mid West and in the other regions over coming months, in consultation with regional stakeholders, including in County Clare.
My Department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland, is aimed at enhancing the conditions for regional business growth. To date the Mid West which includes Clare has secured over €14.4 million across eight projects. An additional €30m in regional funding is contained in Budget 2021.
Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy ‘Powering the Regions’ includes a focus on the Mid West. In 2019 there were 179 net new jobs created in EI companies in Clare.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEOs) in Co. Clare supported an additional 120 net new jobs in start-ups and micro companies in 2019.
The IDA is doing everything it can to encourage investors to locate in regional areas including Co. Clare and the wider Mid-West region. Co. Clare currently hosts 67 IDA client companies, employing c. 7,146 people and saw an increase of almost 3% or 222 new jobs (net) in IDA client companies last year.
