Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Independent)

Thursday, 2 March was a black day for Ballina and the people of Mayo. Some 40 full-time jobs were lost at the Oasis factory. This company has been a manufacturer of bottle and pressure water coolers in the town since 1992. It has decided to relocate to Poland as the costs of manufacturing jobs in Ballina are not competitive, even though it will retain its European headquarters in the town. Over the past nine years 1,340 jobs have been lost and IDA Ireland has created only 400 jobs in that time. The net loss is almost 1,000 jobs.

Exactly one year ago I sought a debate on the underspend in the BMW region. The Minster of State responded on behalf of the Government. At that time there was a €2 billion underspend in the region and today that figure is €3.7 billion, despite the commitment given by the Minister of State that the Government would do everything it could to redress the imbalance by the time the national development plan concluded. Although I recognise funds can be allocated until 2008, the plan finishes at the end of 2006 and this is a poor reflection of the Government's investment in the BMW region and the town of Castlebar. I met representatives of IDA Ireland last year and was told the main reason jobs could not be located in Mayo was the inadequate infrastructure, particularly the N5.

Work on the section of the N5 between Castlebar and Westport had been shelved as has work on phase two of the N26. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, stated the latter would be done on a continuous basis, explaining that he liked to finish a job when he started one. The NRA has no intention of reversing the current situation although progress is being made on the Charlestown bypass.

Some 1,000 jobs have been lost in Bolex, Castlebar, some 120 in the Cedar Group, 50 in APC, 220 in Heneghans of Ballina, 20 in Hats of Ireland and now these jobs in Oasis, which once employed 400 people. I ask the Minister of State to honour the commitment given last year and respond to this crisis.

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