Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The idea that the creation of thousands of jobs 20 minutes from a town does not provide employment opportunities for people in the town is not realistic or valid. In terms of attracting inward investment to the regions, we must move towards gateways and hubs.

Identifying Clonmel and ensuring it becomes a very attractive location for inward investment is a good idea that would provide opportunities for people living within a significant radius of Clonmel. It is likewise for Waterford. That is the overall point.

The year 2006 was very good for south Tipperary in terms of high-quality jobs coming in. Merck, Sharp & Dohme created 120 jobs, Cordis Communications could potentially create 500 jobs in Cashel and Abbott Vascular is looking at 500 life-science jobs in Clonmel. These are high-quality jobs by any standard.

On the other side of the equation there are structural issues which must be addressed, and we have met with representatives from the town regarding a stronger FÁS input to enable those unemployed in Carrick-on-Suir to perhaps access a range of training and skills programmes to access employment in the area. Enterprise Ireland is also anxious to work with people in the town to advance the agenda there. As the Deputy knows, the county manager has set up a number of working groups involving local interests and agencies. Enterprise Ireland will be supporting the county manager in that regard and representatives will attend those meetings. The county development board is also relevant.

In my frank opinion, the last thing we need is another layer of bureaucracy, or a new board, to somehow go over all the existing layers. The key issue is that the agencies, including FÁS, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, work together with the county manager, the county development board and the enterprise board to try to create an environment for the growth of micro-enterprises in Carrick-on-Suir and locally developed companies. Then they should ensure people can be upskilled to enable them to access employment being created within 20 minutes of Carrick-on-Suir.

The Deputy asked if I would give the same answer if he asked about Passage West in Cork and the answer is "yes." I would, as people are willing to travel 20 odd minutes. Unfortunately, some people around the country are travelling for an hour and a half or two hours to employment, such as those around Dublin.

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