Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this matter and the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for taking it. The shocking news that a major employer in County Kildare, Wyeth Medica in Newbridge, was seeking 250 redundancies by December 2009 and that another major industry, Tegral Building Products Limited in Athy, would follow suit was shocking. They are the county's largest industrial employers due to the significant haemorrhaging of employment elsewhere in the area for some time, including at Donnelly Mirrors, Black and Decker, Wallboard, IVI, Shuttlework Europe Limited, Pyma, Batchelors Limited, Monoject, Peerless Rug, Leinster Foundries, Polaroid and, in adjacent counties, Lappel, Irish Sugar and a reduction of staff at Braun Oral B. Industry used to be at the forefront of employment in the area, but it has reduced.

To add to the problems is the lack of drive on the part of IDA Ireland in providing alternatives. I have resided in the area for more than 60 years and in that time only one replacement industry was acquired and that was in respect of Irish Board Mills where I was an employee. That replacement has since gone by the wayside and the haemorrhaging has continued across the board.

To add insult to injury, a number of IDA Ireland sites in Kildare South have been disgracefully neglected. In five years, only two industries have visited the area. I sought to determine whether IDA Ireland would sell the sites to the local authority to provide incubation units for indigenous industries in different towns. Due to IDA Ireland's greed — it wanted to sell the sites to the local authority at today's prices instead of at the prices of the 1970s when they were first purchased — the deal fell through.

When I pressed this issue in recent weeks, IDA Ireland admitted in local newspapers that it cannot attract industries to south County Kildare. How could it do so when it does not bring industries to the county? The newspaper headlines were incredible, as IDA Ireland conceded that it could not attract industry to the area despite how it used to be filled with industries. The situation has worsened and IDA Ireland must return to the local authority to try to sell the three sites after being unable to conclude a deal in 2003.

How can this occur? Given the economic downturn, should we not consider how to promote indigenous industries? This is an ideal opportunity for IDA Ireland to work with State agencies in starting up incubation units and ensuring the protection of jobs at Tegral Building Products Limited and Wyeth Medica. Will the Minister of State examine the issue of the sites and tell IDA Ireland to forget about getting modern prices for lands bought cheaply in the 1970s and to work with the local authority in creating alternative employment in an agricultural area that has experienced significant employment losses through the closure of Irish Sugar? Will he also ask the State agencies to work with Wyeth Medica and Tegral Building Products Limited to ensure that they are given every assistance in overcoming their considerable problems? They should continue to be beacons of hope to the people of the area. The work and dedication of their staff should be underpinned to ensure the companies' continued success. Will the Minister of State ask IDA Ireland to remodel what has been one of that body's worst performances to date?

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