Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 4

Written Answers. - Job Creation.

Charles Flanagan

Ceist:

121 Mr. Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress, if any, arising out of discussions between her Department and the IDA in respect of job creation in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18467/98]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

The Government is committed to ensuring the most equitable regional distribution of job opportunities and I have impressed upon the industrial development agencies the importance of making even greater efforts to provide employment throughout the regions.

IDA Ireland is actively pursuing a strategy to increase employment in County Laois. As part of the agency's marketing efforts to enhance the attractiveness of the county for inward investors, it entered into a land swap with Laois County Council in 1997. This resulted in the establishment of a new 45 acre business and industrial park by IDA Ireland on the Mountrath road. At the end of 1997, IDA Ireland invested approximately £500,000 for the provision of the necessary services and landscaping to enable the park to be established as a quality location to compete for overseas mobile investment.

At the same time, IDA Ireland issued a BES certificate to private developers for the construction of a 20,000 sq. ft. unit at the park. Due to planning objections locally, construction of this unit was delayed. In August 1998, the Planning Appeal Board gave a positive decision enabling the developers to proceed and it is now expected that construction of the new facility will commence in October 1998. The availability of such an advance factory facility is critical to IDA Ireland's marketing programme for inward investment to the area.

With this new facility coming on stream in early 1999, IDA Ireland will concentrate its efforts on securing a client for County Laois at the earliest possible stage.