I am delighted the Chair has given me the opportunity to speak on this most important issue. As most people will realise, Donegal has borne the brunt of devastating job losses during the past 18 months due in part to the demise of the textile industry as we know it. Having put all the eggs into one basket, so to speak, there has been a torrent of closures and general uncertainty. In rounded statistics, there have been approximately 1,600 redundancies in the county, 1,200 of which happened in my area. That has implications not only for the workers and their close knit families, to which I again extend my sincere sympathy, but it has a ripple effect on the economy of the county for businesses unconnected to the core problem.
While I thank the Tánaiste for setting up the Donegal task force initiative and congratulate the county manager, Michael McLoone and his team on the excellent report they compiled, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. The Tánaiste's recent visit and her positive reaction to the putting in place of an implementation group to help deliver the aims and objectives of the report was welcome news, but it coincided with yet another factory closure.
Inishowen has three relatively small but expanding towns – Buncrana, Carndonagh and Moville. Each of those towns in turn has been laid low by layoffs in Fruit of the Loom, the Dromont factory, Jay Bees and Fingal. Outside the major towns there have also been lay offs and closures in Malin Head, Newtowncunningham and Fahan. Inishowen is a peninsular unit and when one portion is hit the entire area is hit as workers are bussed from many rural areas to the location of the employment. Unfortunately, in this instance the knocks we have taken have been balanced – every section of the peninsula got a severe setback and there is not much left to lose, as we look to the remaining Fruit of the Loom jobs, some fishing and some farming.
Dealing with the textile industry would necessitate, in the first instance, the holding of a seminar within the county comprising all interested parties. We have people who have been made redundant but who are skilled. There is an abundance of work in Dublin but no workers. People are interested in setting up co-operatives but only at the start of a process. Experienced people are beginning smaller enterprises after larger ones have closed. We could work on niche markets. Companies are struggling on and hoping for what I would call divine intervention to keep them afloat and others are doing well. Surely in this mixed bag there are opportunities for pooling knowledge and taking an objective look at the overall picture.
The concept of decentralising Government offices or State agencies to Inishowen should be seriously considered. While I accept that would not solve all our problems in terms of job creation, it would be a boost, which could assist in maintaining the beautiful area in which we live, its shops, schools, public services and so forth. In this day and age emigration to America should no longer be considered an option by our young people. The people of the Inishowen peninsula are firmly of the belief that they have a lot to offer, given half a chance. That has been proven recently by the announcement that the Forward Emphasis Company based in Belfast will open a branch in Malin Head. Without being disingenuous to those who live in Malin Head, I would say it was generally felt that of all places in Ireland to which an industry would be attracted, it would not be to the empty Fruit of the Loom plant in Malin and yet, the Forward Emphasis group has been vociferous in extolling the virtues of the people and the location in terms of the many advantages they consider the area offers.
The task force report outlined in a frank and straightforward manner the issues that we want addressed, be it rail or air access for which there are proposals on the table, road or water/ sewerage infrastructure. Donegal County Council wants these aspects advanced. The Government also wants them advanced and, to this end, there is a commitment in the national development plan. I ask the Minister for Finance to expedite those proposals.
The report recommended a substanial increase in the level of job creation and employment initiatives from State agencies and all in a position to assist. I acknowledge the Tánaiste fully supports these recommendations. We can sell the advantages of the quality of life, the healthy environment, the relatively low cost of living, the easy access to all levels of education and the proximity to large thriving towns, ports or airports – the list is endless. However, at present we are not receiving the immediate injection we need. That rests with the Government in terms of its implementation of the decentralisation programme.
While external forces come into play when one talks about foreign investment, and we will continue to fight for this through the agencies, national support and recognition rely on decisions being taken here to put into concrete fashion what to date have been nice words and platitudes. In terms of those decisions that are in the hands of the Government and State agencies, I call for the Minister's commitment to recognise and assist us. Let prosperity and confidence break out in my constituency.
