Vol. 570 No. 2
74 Mr. Kehoe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the increasing level of unemployment in County Wexford; and the action she will take to bring investment into the county. [18545/03]
Promotion of Ireland and its regions as a location for foreign direct investment is an operational matter for IDA Ireland. I am aware that employment in IDA supported companies in Wexford decreased by 4.5% in 2002. The IDA continues to work closely with existing clients in the county to develop their mandate in Ireland and to win more value-added activities from their parent corporations. A number of client companies such as Lake Region, Equifax, Waters and PFPC are continuing to grow strongly and provide excellent references for potential investors.
IDA Ireland has developed an integrated marketing strategy for County Wexford with the objective of increasing the level of inward investment. The strategy includes a focused sectoral and geographical approach for new green field business, coupled with an added value focus for the existing base of overseas industry in the county. It will also include a comprehensive upgrading of IDA Ireland owned land in the county and the provision of new modern facilities to cater for the emerging sectors.
IDA Ireland will work towards addressing the various impediments to new inward investment identified in the Wexford Initiative Committee Report, namely, support infrastructure, particularly telecommunications, and skills availability. The IDA will equally continue to be represented on the Wexford Education Initiative and the Wexford Enterprise Initiative as well as the Wexford County Development Board.
The right property solutions are critical to the requirements of new overseas industry and IDA Ireland is currently developing a comprehensive land and buildings programme for the 70 acre IDA Business Park at Drinagh on the Rosslare Road. This will include the incorporation of a 20 acre office park, which will specifically cater for the new emerging internationally traded sectors currently being targeted for the town. Planning permission has been sought for the construction of an advance technology building and an advance office building in the park. PFPC, a financial services company, commenced operation in early 2002 on the Drinagh Business Park, and is continuing to expand.
In New Ross, the IDA has upgraded the ten acre site at Butlersland to business class standard. Construction of a 27,000 sq. ft high quality advance manufacturing facility was completed recently and is being actively promoted for overseas investment.
Additional informationThe IDA is also promoting the 80,000 square foot space available in the Hartmann facility in conjunction with the owners. In Enniscorthy, the IDA has upgraded the five acre IDA industrial site on the Dublin Road to business park standard. A local community based group has recently completed construction of a 20,000 square foot advance technology building which is now being actively marketed by IDA Ireland to overseas clients.
I am confident the strategies and policies being pursued by the IDA in County Wexford, together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development, will bear fruit in terms of attracting additional sustainable overseas investment to County Wexford.
I am about as wise as the cat in the street following that reply. I am not a bit surprised the Government has totally ignored Wexford in recent years. I wish to refer to what the Tánaiste said when she came into office following a good Government which treated Wexford well from 1994 to 1997.
Hear, hear.
She referred to the creation of—
It is not in order to quote on Question Time.
—a vibrant international services sector providing high quality, well paid employment by 2005. This is 2003 and 7,000 people in Wexford are seeking employment, 3,000 in Wexford town, 1,700 in Enniscorthy, 1,200 in Gorey and 1,300 in New Ross. A succession of businesses and companies have closed down in recent years. Some 360 jobs were lost in Wexford Electronics, 150 in Wexal in Enniscorthy, 50 in Wexford Weaving, 50 in Stena Line, 45 in Weatherglaze and—
Deputy, there is a limit of one minute on your question.
—50 in Driver-Harris, Premium Panels Limited and in Courier Service. What action will the Tánaiste and IDA Ireland take because this is becoming a worrying trend in Wexford? All these jobs have been lost without one being created since this Government came into office. The Tánaiste said not long ago—
Deputy, you are completely breaking the rules.
I have one more point, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. When the Tánaiste came into office in 1997, a Coca Cola factory had been planned for Edermine in Enniscorthy. Deputy Howlin and Ivan Yates, as former Ministers, secured that factory for Wexford but the minute the Tánaiste came into office, she took it from under their feet and brought it to Mayo. Not one thing has been done for Wexford since then.
The IDA Ireland strategy for Wexford is as follows. IDA Ireland has developed an integrated marketing strategy for County Wexford with the objective of increasing the level of inward investment. It includes a focused sectoral and geographical approach for the new greenfield business and an added value focus for the existing base of overseas industry in the county. It continues to work closely with existing clients in the county to develop their mandate and to win more value added activities for their parent corporations. It will also include a comprehensive upgrading of IDA Ireland owned land in the county and the provision of new and modern facilities to cater for emerging sectors. As I said, it will work with the existing bodies, including the Wexford Enterprise Initiative Committee, the Wexford Education Enterprise Initiative and the county development board. Wexford has been named as a hub town under the national spatial strategy.
There is one minute for the reply.
It will create a triangle of strength, with Waterford and Kilkenny as the other sides of that hub.
I am sure the 7,000 unemployed people in Wexford will be absolutely heartened by those comments by the Minister of State, which were entirely meaningless. My friend and colleague was wrong when he said no jobs have been created in Wexford under this Government. One significant employer, PFPC, came despite the best efforts of the Government and IDA Ireland which offered it a free factory if it sited in Galway. As one of the principals of the company was from Wexford, she insisted that it be sited there and she has no difficulty saying that publicly.
Does the Minister of State accept that Wexford, unfortunately, meets all the criteria for the BMW region but was not included because it was not contiguous with other BMW category counties? It deserves a special focus and status. The Minister of State's reply will give absolutely no comfort to anybody who wants a special initiative for Wexford. What will he do in respect of broadband roll-out? As broadband enters the country through Wexford, it is available right down the middle of the country but the roll-out, which was to commence last year, was cancelled by the Government. We have been promised that it will be completed before the end of this year. When will the roll-out of broadband be completed for Wexford town and the other towns in the county? When will the unique set of circumstances which are, unfortunately, recognised as among the worst in the country, be acknowledged with a jobs announcement for those seeking employment in the county rather than with pious platitudes?
In 2002, 3,517 jobs were created in Enterprise Ireland companies in County Wexford. Enterprise Ireland companies invested €1,473,108 in County Wexford and up to 10 June 2003, in less than six months, more than half that amount, €771,584, has been provided. There has been job creation despite the arguments and loud statements by Deputy Kehoe.
Broadband comes under the remit of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. It is vitally important for the development of employment throughout the country that broadband be rolled out as quickly as possible. As the Deputy is aware, 19 centres are to get it initially and it is moving forward. I hope it will proceed in County Wexford as well because it is vitally important for job creation.
What model of action does the Minister of State propose for areas of high unemployment such as Wexford and my area of Navan which has lost jobs each day for the past couple of weeks? Shops and factories have closed and Navan Carpets closed yesterday with the loss of 230 jobs. Will the Tánaiste and the Minister of State approach management to see what can be done to save the factory? Can he offer any help? What hope can we give to these people? In the past six weeks, more than 500 people have lost their jobs in the Navan area. No new jobs have been created in the area in the past ten years, yet the population has doubled to 25,000. What is the plan of action? There is a 60 acre IDA Ireland park lying idle.
The question before the House concerns Wexford.
It is on a model of action.
It is on a model of action to create jobs.
If the Deputy tabled a question on the area to which he referred, it might be dealt with.
It only happened yesterday. If the Dáil worked properly, I would be able to table a question.
We are over the time limit. I will allow Deputy Kehoe, who tabled the question, to ask a brief question.
I asked what action will the Minister of State take in respect of Wexford, but he did not tell us. I was disappointed to hear the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, state a month ago or so that Wexford did not need decentralisation. Does the Government believe that Wexford does not need decentralisation?
I call on the Minister for State to give a brief reply.
Do the Tánaiste and other Ministers believe the same? What action will the Minister of State take to make sure Wexford has a major jobs boost in the next couple of years, sooner rather than later?
I was sorry to hear the news about Navan Carpets. Some 15 years ago when Deputy John Bruton was Minister, I remember discussion here on whether Navan Carpets or Youghal Carpets would close down. Knowing a lot about Youghal Carpets, having worked there as an auditor for many years, it was strange that it was forced to close down at that stage.
I do not know what the Minister of State means by that. I hope it is not what it sounds like.
IDA Ireland will work towards addressing the various impediments to new inward investment identified in the Wexford initiative report. IDA Ireland recognises Wexford is a priority area and it will give full attention to it.
If we do not move on, we will not have time for Question No. 75.
Is Navan Carpets to go by the wayside?
It is unfair to Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, who has been waiting patiently, that his question will not be reached.
That was an outrageous comment by the Minister of State.
We have spent twice as much time on this question as is allowed.
