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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Mar 1977

Vol. 298 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Advance Factories.

16.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number, location and floor area of advance factories erected by the IDA in each of the past five years; and the number of employees, male and female, now employed in each of them.

Between March 1972 and December 1976 52 advance factories, excluding factories in industrial estates, with a total floor area of 745,792 sq. ft. were completed by the Industrial Development Authority. With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate a list showing the location and floor area of each.

I understand that 36 of these factories are occupied at present. As information on employment levels supplied to the IDA by individual firms is given on a confidential basis I am not in a position to release employment figures in respect of each of these firms. I understand however that a total of 1,257 persons, comprising 849 men and 408 women, were employed in these factories on 1st January last.

Following is the statement:

Advance factories constructed by IDA from 1st April 1972—31st December 1976.

Location

Floor area (sq. ft)

1st April 1972—31st March 1973

Letterkenny

16,727

Ballybofey

6,588

Cardonagh

6,588

Mohill

6,588

Carrigallen

6,588

Ballina

16,727

Claremorris

6,588

Ballinrobe

7,400

Wexford

16,727

Kilkenny

16,727

Carlow

6,588

Baltinglass

6,588

Portlaoise

16,727

Tullamore

16,727

Castlerea

16,727

Granard

6,588

Roscommon

6,588

Longford

6,588

Mullingar

6,588

1973-74:

Ballyshannon

16,727

Caherciveen

16,727

Dunmanway

7,400

Tipperary

7,400

Kells

7,400

Monaghan

16,727

1974 (April-December)

Mountbellew

7,400

Cavan

16,727

1975 January-December

Carrick-on-Shannon

24,000

Sligo Cluster

40,000

Swinford

7,400

Ballinrobe

6,000

Ballyhaunis

11,000

Listowel

16,727

Mallow

24,000

Ballincollig

48,000

Kells

24,000

Ardee

24,000

Belturbet

6,000

Portarlington

24,000

Birr

24,000

Edenderry

24,000

Boyle

6,000

Clifden

7,400

Kanturk

10,000

1976 January-December

Ballymote

11,000

Manorhamilton

7,400

Westport

20,000

Wexford

26,000

Oldcastle

11,000

Cootehill

17,000

Portlaoise

26,000

Ballaghadereen

7,400

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether a tenant has been found for the advance factory at Oldcastle?

There is no tenant yet for that factory.

The Parliamentary Secretary will appreciate that, for reasons known to the House, Oldcastle no longer forms part of my constituency, but can he say what are the prospects of finding a tenant for this advance factory?

The Deputy's interest in Oldcastle is appreciated. The IDA are in the process of negotiations in relation to the possibility for Oldcastle, but I would not wish to go further than that as there is nothing certain at this stage.

17.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the proposals the IDA have for the erection of advance factories; and the location, floor area and expected date for commencement of work on each.

Excluding three factories at present under construction the Industrial Development Authority currently have plans for the construction of 17 advance factories. With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate, with the Official Report, a statement indicating the location and floor area of each.

I understand that detailed planning is at an advanced stage for most of these factories and that it is planned to commence construction at all of the locations in question during 1977. It is not possible to give individual starting dates as these are subject to receipt of the necessary planning permission.

Following is the statement:

STATEMENT indicating the location and floor area of advance factories planned for construction by the I.D.A.

Sq. Ft.

Sligo

24,000

Carrick-on-Shannon

24,000

Westport

24,000

Loughrea

24,000

Killarney

24,000

Cork

40,000

Clonmel

24,000

Kilkenny

40,000

Enniscorthy

24,000

Tipperary Town

24,000

Rathnew

24,000

Dundalk

40,000

Drogheda

40,000

Roscommon

24,000

Tullamore

24,000

Dublin (Coolock)

70,000

Carrickmacross

24,000

Is it either wise or fair to continue building advance factories while so many such buildings have been vacant for the past four years?

As the Deputy knows, in most cases the advance factories are being built in locations where there are no other advance factories vacant. They are being built in the light of the needs of specific areas. In their very recent plans the IDA are contemplating on building larger advance factories than was the case previously. They are concentrating, too, on siting these factories in the larger towns having regard to employment needs. The existence of smaller factories in other parts of the country is not a solution to the problems in the town in which the advance factories are in the process of being built.

The Parliamentary Secretary is missing the point in relation to those factories that have been built already in what we used to regard as undeveloped areas, a description which, unfortunately, now seems to be applied to the whole country. Is it fair to those areas on the western seaboard in which advance factories have been erected that a choice is now being made available to potential industrialists in regard to areas of larger populations?

The point I was endeavouring to make was that the type of factory being built now is different from those built in the past. As the list I am having circulated will show, the average size of the advance factories being built now is 24,000 square feet. These factories cater for industries that are of a different type from the ones that would be carried on in the average-size factory to which the Deputy referred. Consequently, there would be no question of competition.

I should say that, as I explained on the last occasion on which the Deputy raised this matter, a certain time lag between the building and the filling of an advance factory is likely. Such a building could not properly be called an advance factory if one knew from the beginning what industry would be carried on there.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware——

I shall allow the Deputy a brief supplementary.

——that given the proper industrial climate such factories can be either sold or let from the drawing boards but that no such climate exists? Would he agree also, that the proposal to build more of these factories is merely a pre-election gimmick?

I agree that there are problems in the world market for industrial exports. To a large extent these factories are to be filled by people involved in export industries. Obviously there is a problem in conditions in which there is a depression in regard to the demand for industrial goods, but that is not a problem that is within the control of this Government or of any other national government. I would not accept for one moment the strange implication in the Deputy's question that the building of these factories is related to the general election. There is a continuing programme on the part of the IDA of building advance factories and in this regard they have available vastly enhanced resources from the Government.

It would be better to use the money for the creation of a proper industrial climate.

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