Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2018
285. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the actions she has taken to protect jobs at a company (details supplied); the supports in place for employees who will be made redundant; if she has spoken with the management of the company regarding these job losses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26690/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe announcement by Coca-Cola that it will be closing Athy International Concentrates, on a phased basis from September 2018 to December 2019, is very disappointing. While I very much regret this news, I welcome Coca Cola's stated commitment to making every effort to help those employees who will lose their jobs. This includes redundancy packages, as well as financial advice and re-training. Despite this disappointing decision, Coca-Cola has made it clear that it remains fully committed to its other facilities in Ireland. We understand more than half of the jobs that will be lost in Athy will transfer to its facility in Ballina, County Mayo.
The Government will also make every State support available to those impacted. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection is aware of the situation and we will be working collectively, across Government, to help these workers transition and find new employment opportunities. The IDA is engaging closely with senior management at Coca-Cola Ireland and I met last week with stakeholders in Athy, including local representatives, to discuss the issue.
This meeting was a useful opportunity to hear first-hand the impact that this announcement will have on Athy and the surrounding area as well as specific challenges Athy faces. At the meeting, I reiterated the Government's commitment to work towards bringing regional unemployment to within one percentage point of the national average. I am pleased that the Mid-East, as a region, is currently performing very strongly on that measure with an unemployment figure of 5.2% at the end of 2017.
The Government's role is to ensure that the right conditions are in place to allow enterprise to thrive. I was glad to see that everyone around the table in Athy – TDs, Councillors, the Local Authority, and local businesses – are committed to a collaborative approach to drive enterprise in the region.
From the Government's part, and to back the ambition and potential of all regions, I announced in April the opening of the second call of the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) which is worth €30 million.
Under the first round of the Regional Fund, the Co. Kildare Community Network Company secured significant funding to develop a Mid-East Regional Innovation 'Think-Space' to be located in Naas which will be a great support to start-ups and businesses emerging in Kildare and the wider Mid-East. Also, IT Carlow was successful in securing funding for the Insurtech Network Centre, which again will be an important asset to the Carlow/South Kildare area.
I want to see more successful projects from this Region under the second call of REDF. In addition, under Project Ireland 2040, the Government will continue to make this funding available on a rolling basis.
The support of the National Development Plan over coming years will be crucial to delivering on regional development potential, where three quarters of new growth is envisioned for places outside of Dublin by 2040. The Government recently launched four Funds under Project Ireland 2040 which will also help to ensure more balanced regional development and will stimulate renewal and investment in rural and urban areas, the environment and innovation. In particular, the €1 billion Rural Development Fund will support job creation in rural areas, address de-population of rural communities and support improvements in our towns, villages and their hinterlands that enhance the quality of life of communities and enhance their attractiveness for families who want to live and work there. A collaborative mindset along with the Regional Action Plans will be important mechanisms to ensure this funding will be targeted in the right areas.
