asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism when an industry for the IDA advance factory at Banagher, County Offaly, will be announced.
279.
Written Answers. - Offaly Industrial Development.
278.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the up-to-date position concerning the vacant IDA advance factory at Edenderry, County Offaly.
280.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism when the IDA propose to begin the erection of a further advance factory at Tullamore, County Offaly.
281.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism when the IDA propose to begin the erection of a further advance factory at Birr, County Offaly, as announced recently.
282.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the progress made to date by the IDA in acquiring an industrial site at Clara, County Offaly.
283.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the serious lack of industrial development in West Offaly, and the plans, if any, by the IDA to acquire industrial sites, in Ferbane and Kilcormac, County Offaly.
284.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the reasons for the delay in starting production at the IDA advance factory in Clara, County Offaly.
285.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the progress made to date in attracting an industry to the IDA advance factory in Birr, County Offaly.
286.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the progress made by the IDA to date in attracting an industry to the vacant fabric factory at Birr, County Offaly.
With the permission of an Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 to 286, inclusive, together.
The Industrial Development Authority are vigorously promoting their advance factories in Banagher, Edenderry and Birr for new industries. Despite this, however, there are no definitive projects being considered by the authority for these factories. I understand that a number of groups have expressed interest in promoting a replacement project at the former Birr fabrics factory and the IDA are making every effort to secure a suitable project at the earliest possible date.
The construction of the new 24,000 sq. ft. IDA advance factory has already commenced at Tullamore. This factory is expected to be completed by August 1980. Construction work on the 7,000 sq. ft. factory which I recently announced for Birr is expected to commence by mid-Summer.
I am informed that the IDA are considering, in conjunction with the local authority, the acquisition of further land in Clara; a final decision in this matter is not expected for some time. The authority have no plans at present for the acquisition of sites at Ferbane or Kilcormac.
I understand that one of the two projects already approved for the advance factory at Clara has commenced recruitment and that production is expected to start in the near future. I am not in a position to state when the other company will commence production.
In their Industrial Plan 1978-82 the IDA set a target for the creation of 550 new jobs in the west Offaly area, which includes the towns of Birr, Ferbane and Kilcormac. The Authority are committed to achieving this target and are promoting the west Offaly area intensively as a suitable location for manufacturing industry.