asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he is aware of the grave unemployment position in Edenderry, County Offaly, in view of the closure of firms (details supplied) in County Offaly; if he will arrange in view of the seriousness of the position to have the Edenderry electoral area made a designated area, thereby attracting increased grant-aid for potential industries; the position in regard to the unoccupied advance factories in Edenderry; if any inquiries from potential industries have been forthcoming; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Offaly Unemployed.
5.
I am informed that the Industrial Development Authority are vigorously promoting Edenderry for industrial development. The IDA have 23 acres of land available for industrial development in the town in addition to a cluster development of four 3,000 sq. ft. factory units which had been provided under a private finance arrangement. The IDA are also promoting the former Group Textiles plant for a new project. Already, a number of promoters have visited these premises but no firm proposals have emerged to date. I am not satisfied that designation of the Edenderry area would be justified at this stage, bearing in mind the possible repercussions for other areas.
I note from the Minister's reply that there is nothing in the pipeline for the Edenderry electoral area. Since I put down a question two other companies have made workers redundant. In view of that would the Minister ask SFADCo, who are in the Ferbane electoral area and are operating in the Birr electoral area of County Offaly, to come in to back up the IDA who, in my opinion, have done very little on the ground? Would the Minister extend the operations of SFADCo to the Edenderry electoral area?
The Deputy is probably aware that the main closure recently in the Edenderry area was not in the manufacturing sector but was in the retail sector. I know that this creates problems for unemployment in Edenderry but it was not a closure which the IDA could have any power to avert. I certainly agree that there are serious long-term industrial problems in Edenderry. Since I became Minister I visited most of the major industrial plants in Edenderry and studied the problem there. I know from discussions that manufacturers in Edenderry are particularly concerned about costs in the economy which are causing them competitive difficulties. The long-term future, as I said in reply to earlier questions, of industry in Edenderry and elsewhere would be best secured by addressing the more fundamental problems we face in the industrial field. I would be reluctant to give the Deputy any hope of expanding the SFADCo area as far east as Edenderry which is quite a distance from the area already covered by SFADCo. As the Deputy is aware, this is confined to west Offaly. We are talking here about the extreme east of the county. I could see them becoming involved in Kildare very quickly if they became involved in Edenderry. The meaning of SFADCo would become diffused if they were involved in areas as far flung as Edenderry and west Clare. I have told the Deputy that the industrial problems of the midlands must be looked at seriously. I hope in due course that more industry will be attracted to the town. We have been promoting the former Group Textiles plant in addition to the advance factory. I will convey to the IDA his representations, as I will all representations made by Deputies in respect of different parts of the country.
I do not see anything wrong in asking SFADCo to come in and do a job. The IDA had a good chance up to now, as the Group Textiles operation closed over 12 months ago.
A question, please, Deputy.
Killane Engineering closed with a loss of 90 jobs. Edenderry Shoe Company is operating a three-day week. We have other companies on short-time also. Now we have the M.P. O'Brien Group——
I know all about them.
I see no reason why SFADCo should not be asked to take over. Deputy O'Malley decided after pressure was brought to bear on him by my colleagues and I to extend it to the Ferbane electoral area. There is nothing wrong with that.
I cannot allow a long speech.
Will the Minister go back and have a look at it in his Department and ask SFADCo to look at the area and see if they could take on the task in which the IDA have failed.
The answer to the problem is to be found in revitalising the regional activities of the IDA and not by expanding SFADCo's responsibility to different parts of the country on a piecemeal basis.
Mr. Cowen
Due to the serious unemployment problem in Offaly, the fact that it has the third lowest industrial growth rate in the country and the fact that it is a midland county, would the Minister not agree that special treatment is overdue as regards industrial development there? On numerous occasions various Ministers for Industry and Commerce met deputations from Offaly but they never accepted the fact that we have such a low growth rate of industrial development.
The Deputy is being less than fair in saying that. I met Offaly County Council to discuss this matter and accepted that the county faced special problems of industrial development. I do not see the answer lying solely in the area of expanding SFADCo or designation or any of the other administrative means. There are plenty of opportunities to be taken in the small industrial sector in Offaly. I have visited some outstandingly successful industrial projects in Offaly which started as one-man operations and now employ large numbers. We should try to build on that kind of success rather than look for special treatment of the kind the Deputy has in mind. It does not work.
Have there been any inquiries regarding the cluster units in Edenderry and the Group Textiles factory which is unoccupied? Will the Minister let me know the number of inquiries he and the IDA have received?
I should like to give the Deputy information on the plants he has in mind. However, the position is that the IDA are seeking to include Edenderry on the itineraries of industrialists. Three groups have visited Group Textiles in this context in the past six months. A number of promoters have also visited the small industry cluster. I do not have the precise number of these. As regards the small industry cluster, this is particularly intended for local small industrialists. I should like to avail of this opportunity, which I hope will be reported in the local press, to invite local people with business ideas in the Edenderry area to consider establishing industries themselves in one of these cluster units.