Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

There have been job losses in traditional industries in Donegal, such as textiles, creating considerable difficulties for those affected. However, the number of people on the live register has been reduced from 9,900 in 2002 to 8,774 in December 2006, although we would like there to be a more rapid decline. Significant companies supported by the IDA such as PacifiCare, Pramerica Systems, SITA and others have announced the creation of an extra 1,200 jobs. Enterprise Ireland has also worked hard in the area, leading to AssetCo relocating from the UK to Donegal. Companies such as PowerBar and PowerBoard are other companies to have set up in Donegal.

The Letterkenny business park has now been completed and construction, involving Donegal County Council, to extend the Letterkenny ring road to the park is nearing completion. Work has commenced on an office building of 2,300 sq. m at Windyhall and work is under way on the development of technology units and an additional advance office building at Lisnenan. In Donegal town, IDA Ireland has commissioned architects to design a 1,000 sq. m office building in Lurganboy and has applied for planning permission. Also, IDA Ireland has taken on a significant amount of site development work in Ballyshannon, which is now complete, and land has been purchased in Buncrana and planning permission obtained for a factory of 2,000 sq. m. The IDA is working with a local private developer in the provision of additional buildings on the estate.

Regarding the interdepartmental report alluded to, my Department was the main catalyst and brought other Departments into the process. We managed to accelerate a range of infrastructural developments, including roads, transport, water and so on. Electricity continues to need a push. When I met members of the council at the publication of the report, I told them it is important to have consensus in the community and society on the provision of badly needed infrastructure, including electricity. There have been planning issues and campaigns against the development, but the continued attraction of big industrial players will require power generation infrastructure and electricity transmission capacity. This issue requires political consensus and a collective endeavour among all political parties and groups that are anxious to see County Donegal advance industrially and economically.

See this speech in context