asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give particulars of any new industrial development for south west Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - New Industrial Employment.
21.
There is one industrial expansion under construction in south west Cork. Negotiations are at an advanced stage regarding a further three projects, and two advance factories are planned for the area. In addition, there are seven small industry projects under consideration.
Can the Minister give more details of the proposals mentioned? I remember that prior to the 1965 General Election we were promised two factories in Skibbereen but so far they have not materialised. There have been statements made that within the next five years 58,000 new jobs will be provided. That has been said not only by Fianna Fáil but by their beloved cousins, Fine Gael.
(Interruptions.)
I must crave the protection of the Chair. Representing an area such as West Cork which has had employment difficulties and from which such large numbers have emigrated in past years. I want to ask the Minister, as a member of the Government with responsibility for industrial development, can he say what additional number of jobs will be provided in south west Cork during the next two years? I am chairman of the South-West Regional Development Organisation where we hear a lot about paper jobs. I am trying to get something concrete, something which will give employment to our people because if employment is not available to them they will be lost to the country, and will have to emigrate as others had to in past years.
I have indicated that there is one industrial expansion under construction in south west Cork. The Deputy asked me to spell out details of the negotiations which are in an advanced state for a further three projects. I will not give the details of any projects until they have been finalised because there is the question of confidence between the IDA and the promoting industry. If the Deputy is the chairman of the West Cork Development Association he knows about some of the negotiations that are going on. The Deputy asked me a question last November and I spoke about two developments that were going on and two that were coming up. One has opened in Bandon, Industrial Fasteners Ltd., and we have Shannon Vale Plastics in Clonakilty and there is also Furber International in Bandon. The fourth is the industrial expansion which is under construction at present in south west Cork, that is, Rowa Ltd. in Bantry. I can speak about those, I do not intend to speak about the others until the negotiations are finalised.
The numbers in industrial employment in Cork are exceptionally low.
They are growing fast.
22.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if the IDA will encourage inquiries with regard to the setting up of new industries in this country so that priority will be given to their location in areas where unemployment is highest.
It is the policy of the Industrial Development Authority, in its efforts to develop the industrial sector of the country, to give high priority to areas of greatest unemployment. The final choice of location of an industry is, however, primarily a matter for the promoter.
As a rural Deputy will the Minister agree that the people in provincial and rural Ireland are not satisfied that proper attention or direction is being given to the decentralisation of industry?
This may have been so, but the recent advance plans of the IDA should have the effect of making the people in the rural areas more hopeful with regard to the overall plan for rural development.
They are full of hope.
With justification.
There is not enough action.
23.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he would indicate the areas in industry in which he anticipated the 50,000 new jobs would be developed.
I am advised by the Industrial Development Authority that the job targets in their regional plans are expected to be realised mainly in the following sectors of industry:— Food Processing, Light Engineering and Metal goods, Instrumentation, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, Leisure goods.
Did the Minister ever hear of 100,000 jobs or was that before he came into politics? Did he ever hear the slogan: "Put your husbands back to work"? Does he know there are 80,000 looking for work now?
We are in the 1970s, not the 1950s.
The Deputy is reading the wrong literature.
It is the biggest number since the war.
24.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he would make a statement on the recent reports that several large foreign firms were interested in setting up plants in Ireland; how many of these would in fact be setting up plants; and if he would indicate the amount of employment the establishment of such plants would bring.
I am aware of the press reports mentioned by the Deputy. The position is that the Industrial Development Authority has 14 relatively large projects on hands which are at an advanced stage of negotiation. The employment content of these projects is 7,850.