Vol. 553 No. 2
123 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress which has been made in 2002 in relation to increasing job creation in the north-west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13581/02]
I should point out, at the outset, that the provision of jobs is a day-to-day matter for the development agencies and not one in which I as Minister have a direct function.
As regards the agencies under my Department, and in particular Enterprise Ireland, projects in the BMW regions can attract more favourable funding across a range of financial supports from Enterprise Ireland than projects in other parts of Ireland. In 2002 it is EI's aim to commit in excess of 30% of its financial supports to projects in the BMW regions. Approximately 25% of EI clients are located in the BMW region.
Since January 2002 EI has paid a total of €160,184 in funding for projects in the north-west region, with a total of €535,603 having been approved in that same period. An example of a recent success, which EI supported, is the expansion of Transware Plc which will result in the creation of 290 jobs over the next five years, 60 of which are already in place at its Sligo base.
Enterprise Ireland has also been involved in a wide range of activities which will have a considerable impact on the economy in the north-west, for example: a new community enterprise scheme, launched in April 2002; the proposed establishment of a number of technology hubs, termed "webworks"; and the investment of €95 million in 12 venture capital funds which will have a dedicated regional focus delivered through four of the funds.
Over the past two years, IDA Ireland has radically changed its policy with a commitment to delivering half of all new greenfield jobs into the Objective One regions in the coming years. IDA Ireland confirmed its commitment to the north-west region in January 2002 when Sligo became one of three towns nationally to be recognised as growth centres for inward investment.
A number of positive initiatives by IDA Ireland have resulted, the development of which continues in 2002, as follows:
The two major projects recently announced by Abbott Ireland for the north-west region are progressing. The projects involve the re-development of the company's facility in Donegal Town with an investment of €65 million and also the development of a new Pharma project in Sligo with the creation of 190 new jobs.
Ongoing investment at other IDA Ireland client companies such as Prumerica Systems Ireland Limited, PacifiCare Health Systems Ireland, MBNA, Kirchhoff Ireland, Boston Scientific Interventional Technologies and Claddagh Resources will all result in additional employment being created in the region.
On the development of property in the region, the Letterkenny Business Park has been completed and plans are well advanced to extend this park. The Finisklin Business Park has been extended and plans are well advanced also for new lands in Sligo. IDA Ireland is currently marketing two vacant facilities in Sligo, together with a vacant advance building in Carrick-on-Shannon.
