Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2005
255 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to provide replacement industry to Dungarvan, County Waterford when the Waterford Crystal plant closes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15458/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra256 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the discussions he has had with the Waterford Crystal management over the past 12 months. [15459/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra257 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the discussions which Enterprise Ireland has had over the past 12 months regarding the future of Waterford Crystal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15460/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 255 to 257, inclusive, together.
I am aware that Enterprise Ireland has been working intensively with the company in question, not just over the past 12 months, but over recent years, to assist the company in addressing the competitive issues it faced. Enterprise Ireland has provided significant financial support for the company to develop new products to meet changing market needs, as well as providing overseas marketing support. Over the past seven years, the agency has paid almost €3 million in supports to assist the company with development projects. Unfortunately, the company has been unable to break a cycle of falling sales. Lightweight functional glassware, which can be outsourced from low cost countries, is now in demand as the market continues to move away from heavy cut crystal.
Senior management people from Enterprise Ireland, including its chief executive, have held meetings with the company in recent months to discuss the company's strategy. Cost saving action taken by the company in September 2004 has not been sufficient to prevent the restructuring programme, which the company has now deemed necessary, both to remove excess capacity and to improve manufacturing efficiency. However, I know that Enterprise Ireland will continue to work with the company as it goes through its restructuring programme.
The strategy for the south-east region is to promote the development of Waterford city as a gateway location to attract industry to the city and region. There has been success in attracting new knowledge-based industries with the locating in Waterford of Sunlife Corporation, AOL and Genzyme and the area has a strong indigenous presence including Dawn Meats and Radley Engineering. In Dungarvan, phase one of the site development has been completed on IDA Ireland's industrial park and the first client, Biopin, has been secured.
I am satisfied the combined efforts of the industrial development agencies, together with local interests, will continue to meet the ongoing needs of the area in question. An inter-agency forum has been set up to address the consequences of the closure of the plant in Dungarvan and the redundancies in Dungarvan and Waterford. The forum, to be chaired by the Waterford county manager, will have its first meeting on 13 May 2005.
