David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter. I speak on behalf of the town of Youghal which in recent years has experienced substantial job losses: 230 jobs in Artisan Technology, 130 jobs in Eastman Kodak and 40 jobs this week in Seafield Technical Textiles Limited which has decided to close.

I am concerned that there does not appear to be any urgency on the part of the State agencies or the Government to attract additional industry to Youghal. The town is an attractive coastal one in east Cork with much in its favour. Recently we have all lobbied for a new swimming pool and community school, both of which will proceed and be beneficial. However, people in Youghal must leave the town every morning and drive to Carrigtwohill, Cork city, Fermoy and Dungarvan for employment purposes. This has a knock-on effect on businesses in Youghal. I ask the Minister to use his good offices and those of the Government, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to encourage and attract industry to Youghal. A number of small industries in the town would work wonders.

That Bord Gáis is not in the town acts as a disincentive to industry. There is a chicken and egg scenario in this because Bord Gáis will not supply the town unless there is industry and industry will not locate until there is a gas supply. Perhaps the Minister can shed some light on that conundrum and help us resolve it. I am informed that broadband will arrive in the town shortly.

It would also help if the National Roads Authority would look at Castlemartyr because that village between Youghal and Cork city badly needs to be bypassed. I have written to the NRA on many occasions about it. There are tailbacks more than a mile long every evening and it is worse on summer Sundays. That acts as a disincentive for industry to locate to Youghal. I ask the Minister to dust down that file and have a chat with the NRA. Perhaps he would come back to me on the timescale and procedure for bypassing Castlemartyr and, thus, bring Youghal closer to Cork city and make it more attractive.

If decentralisation were to come to the town, it would help as it would bring more people. I would hope they would live and work there. Property prices in the town are still manageable. As part of the overall package, perhaps the Minister would let the House know what is happening in that regard and the timescale.

At one stage Youghal had full employment and was a thriving manufacturing base. Unfortunately the type of industry there and in many other centres is leaving owing to international competition. Seafield Technical Textiles Limited produced Gore-Tex type fabric used for military uniforms, postbags and so on. It has come under pressure from eastern European imports. When the Irish Army produced a new uniform some years ago, it was regrettable it did not use the top class Gore-Tex type cloth produced in Youghal for the uniform. Instead the cloth was imported from China and tailored in eastern Europe.

Altana Pharma, a company that located in Carrigtwohill, was not encouraged by IDA Ireland to locate in Youghal. Having looked at the town, it was a disappointment the company did not locate there. I am concerned about the policy of IDA Ireland to promote small provincial towns such as Youghal. Is it Government policy that people would live and work in their own area and cut down on traffic and congestion on the roads, something the Minister would like to see happening? I await his response with hope. We are all working together to try to benefit our areas. At this time of year when the tourists have left, Youghal goes into the doldrums, a matter I would like to see reversed.

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