Vol. 433 No. 1
161 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to a proposal for the development of a fashion centre in the Dublin area to provide technical and trading facilities for this major indigenous industry; if he will support such a fashion centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am aware that the, now disbanded, Apparel Industries Federation (AIF) carried out a feasibility study with funding approved under the EC PRISMA Programme on the question of setting up a Dublin Fashion Centre and that an application has also been made for further PRISMA funding in order to proceed to a design/ commercial viability stage on the project.
However, the new IBEC representative Body for the Clothing Sector, the Irish Clothing Manufacturers Federation (ICMF), which has replaced the AIF, has written to me recently indicating that it wishes to appraise further the idea of a Dublin Fashion Centre.
I believe it is essential that the ICMF should establish the precise level of support among clothing manufacturers in Ireland for the centre as the setting up of a project of this nature should have the central objective of underpinning the future development of Irish clothing manufacturers. A formal response is awaited from the ICMF before a final policy decision can be made on PRISMA funding.
