Data in respect of the enterprise development agencies – IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Udarás na Gaeltachta, and the county enterprise boards – show that, in the period 1996 to 2000, there were 1,052 net full-time and part-time job gains in the north-west region comprising counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo. The CSO labour force survey and quarterly national household survey show that total numbers at work in the Border, midlands and west – BMW – region increased from 351,000 in April 1997 to 424,000 in November 2000, an increase of more than 20%. During the same period, the unemployment rate in the BMW region more than halved, from 10.5% to 4.8%.
The down sizing of the Fruit of the Loom operations in County Donegal has had a significant impact on the region's performance. My Department and its agencies have been active in efforts to counteract this development, and since November 2000 I have announced almost 800 new jobs for Donegal, culminating in the announcement just last week by Prumerica Systems of a 450 job expansion at their Letterkenny facility. The Inishowen peninsula has also benefited, with indigenous companies Atlanfish, Carndonagh, Moville Clothing, and Iontas, also in Moville, announcing over 200 new jobs recently. In addition, Enterprise Ireland has provided funding to the Moville Community Enterprise Centre, which is planning to develop 10,000 square feet of small flexible enterprise units in the town, specifically designed for start-up and expanding businesses.
IDA Ireland has also been active in Inishowen. The former Fruit of the Loom factory at Malin has been sold to Donegal County Council to facilitate the establishment of an operation by Forward Emphasis, while the agency is also marketing the vacant Fruit of the Loom facilities at Buncrana, Milford and Raphoe. Recent announcements of internationally mobile investment include Sterling Fluid Systems and Kirchhoff Ireland, both in Letterkenny, and Claddagh Resources in Lisfannon.
Both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have recently announced enhanced regional strategies which will lead to an increased focus on the needs of the regions. The Enterprise Ireland approach aims to enhance the operating environment for firms outside Dublin and to encourage investments in regional locations by Dublin based companies. This has led to six Dublin companies expanding into County Donegal, including Forward Emphasis, Eland Technology, Network 365, Go-Ireland, The Bromley Group, and International Test Technologies. IDA Ireland has re-established its Letterkenny office and regional staff have been recruited, a move designed to stimulate growth within the region. The development of Letterkenny Business Park has been completed with Pacificare now employing 180 people in unit 1, and work has also commenced on a business park for Ballyshannon.
