Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I want to stress however, that Carrick-on-Suir is not being neglected. I met a delegation from the town council last year and then met with FÁS. The town council specifically brought the FÁS service to my attention and asked us to expand and improve it. Following a meeting with the council the agency agreed to increase its level of engagement with the long-term unemployed in the town. This process, which commenced last October, will continue throughout 2006. While the main focus from the IDA's perspective is on Waterford and Clonmel, there are knock-on benefits in sectors such as supply, distribution and transport thus creating further investment and employment opportunities for people in surrounding areas including Carrick-on-Suir. Carrick-on-Suir can benefit from its close proximity to both Waterford and Clonmel. The largest single IDA job creation project in 2004 was Guidant with a 1,000 job expansion project in Clonmel, which must have a ripple effect across the area.

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