Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1998

Vol. 495 No. 7

Written Answers. - Job Creation.

Dick Spring

Ceist:

80 Mr. Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress in job creation for Donegal and the north west which resulted from the establishment of the jobs task force; and the proposals, if any, which have emerged. [21133/98]

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

90 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps, if any, she has taken to help promote job creation in County Donegal; the plans, if any, she has for future initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20816/98]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 90 together.

In response to employment difficulties being experienced in County Donegal and, in particular, the immediate risk of job losses at Fruit of the Loom plants, I established the Donegal Employment Initiative on 16 September 1998.

The task force, which is chaired by the Donegal County Manager, includes representatives from the business community, relevant State agencies and Government Departments. The work of the task force is very important to accelerate the attraction of additional industry and business to Donegal.

The terms of reference for the task force are fairly broad and address the critical economic and employment development concerns outlined to me during an intensive round of meetings and plant visits in Donegal on 6 and 7 September 1998. Since its establishment, the task force has met on two occasions and has agreed a programme of work to ensure that urgent action is taken to complete the tasks it has been assigned under its terms of reference.

The first task is to prepare a strategy to offset and compensate for the immediate risk of job losses at Fruit of the Loom plants in Donegal. The task force decided to plan the establishment of support services for workers made redundant or who are at risk of losing their jobs, to examine the skills base and retraining needs of workers and to examine, in the areas suffering job losses, alternative employment possibilities and how to attract replacement industries.

The second task is to establish Donegal as a prime, competitive and attractive location for job creating investment. The task force will pursue the identification of mobile job creating international companies in the IDA pipeline who are best suited to a Donegal location, including the incentives and services they would require to attract them here. The provision of economic infrastructure, including air access, specific to the needs of prospective investors will also be pursued. A database of skill available in or to the county will also be prepared.

The third task involves assisting the development agencies in selling Donegal locations to prospective investors. The actions being taken in relation to this task include the identification of job creating investment opportunities in the fishing, food, tourism and other sectors. Obstacles which exist to the realisation of job creating projects or to the identification and promotion of investment opportunities will be identified and addressed.

In addition to the strategic planning being carried out by the task force on these issues, the industrial development agencies are pursuing a wide range of initiatives to assist industry in Donegal and the north west.

While it is still early days since the establishment of the Donegal employment initiative, I expect that it will have positive results.