Where will one get the best trained, best re-trained, best skilled and best re-skilled workers in the country? Where will one get the most committed employees with a work ethic second to none? Those of whom I speak are the labour pool in Inishowen, County Donegal. It was created over the years by the collapse of the textile industry and added to in the past week by the loss of yet another 18 jobs in Clubman Omega, Buncrana and the move to a three day week in that business. In extending my sympathy to those involved, I reiterate my condemnation of the lack of adequate response from the job creation agencies to this crisis. I demand answers.
Where is the intervention for the existing textile industry to help with its markets? It was available for Moville Shirts but was it there for Clubman Omega? Is it there for Fruit of the Loom? Where is the intervention for the small number of non-textile factories that are currently hobbling along and not delivering the jobs complement they promised in their job announcements? Why do workers feel threatened with further job losses if they look for the agreed pay increases due to them in a number of the factories? Why are many employees falling between not getting enough hours to make part-time work credible or full-time work possible and, therefore, are constantly fighting a battle for their social welfare entitlements?
Where is the help to create jobs for the indigenous industries or to attract new companies? Why according to anecdotal evidence, given our Objective One status, are we deemed by businesses who talk to IDA and Enterprise Ireland uncompetitive compared to other parts of the country and to the IDB? Why do people tell me that the State agencies are actively discouraging them from setting up in Inishowen and making the requirements impossible to attain? Is this true?
This is the eve of the turning of the sod for enterprise units in my home town of Moville. The IDA spent almost seven years selling the land to Donegal County Council, despite many interventions by me at every level of the organisation under the current and previous chief executives and even, as a last resort, making representations to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. How many business ideas can wait seven years to get started? The IDA had the 11 acres and an advance factory in the town for 30 years and brought nothing to Moville. Locals, however, were able to create 100 jobs immediately, despite the IDA's efforts to delay this project, and in so doing put at risk the funding secured by the local community initiative. Shame on all those who were involved in blocking this project.
Given this example of a project being stymied, what confidence can there be that this will not happen to the community development project in Carndonagh? How can one face towns such as Buncrana, which are reliant not on their own endeavours but on the enthusiasm of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to do their job, and tell them the IDA is busy marketing the empty factories that are omnipresent? How can we believe that our area is being considered when every day we hear good news of job creation throughout the country but none for us? I want assurances in relation to both Carndonagh and Buncrana.
This Government has delivered to Inishowen. It has delivered Objective One status, the peace process, £7 million for access to Derry airport, and improvements to our basic infrastructure in terms of technology, ports and roads. The Government has not let us down. It is, therefore, galling to watch those in employment being exploited and females in the over 40 age bracket without employment being given no hope. The job creation agencies have much to answer for and I want those answers.
For too long Donegal has played the peripheral card. It is not inaccessible. There is much talk about cross-Border co-operation between the IDA and the IDB but the people of Inishowen must see jobs delivered and the high hurdles currently put up against industries seeking to come to the area must be taken down. I demand accountability from the heads of the agencies who think we are not aware of and are not watching what is happening. We are aware and we will accept it no longer. It is time for action.