Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. I will reply on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The matter is of some interest in west Tipperary, where a number of Dell employees live. I am advised that IDA Ireland is aware of recent developments at the Dell plant in Poland. IDA Ireland has been in constant contact with Dell at local and corporate levels. I understand that the planned transfer and alignment of its Lodz manufacturing operation to Foxconn Technology Group is in line with Dell's strategic plan. The company has said that this announcement will not affect any of the 2,000 remaining Dell employees in Ireland. Dell's employees in Limerick and Dublin are engaged in a wide range of high-end functions. They support the company's global operations, particularly in its Europe, Middle East and Africa area. IDA Ireland's strategy for the mid-west region, which includes Limerick, involves facilitating the transition to a knowledge economy, by winning new foreign direct investment in innovation-driven, high-value and high-skill sectors; working with the existing company base to expand its presence, by increasing the number and scale of functions being carried out and adding further strategic functions; to promote balanced regional development; to provide modern properties with supporting infrastructure; and to work with local authorities and other partners to influence the creation of the right infrastructural environment in which new foreign direct investment can be won throughout the region.

Limerick's foreign direct investment base is mainly concentrated in the city environs of the national technology park and in Raheen. According to the Forfás employment survey of November 2008, 40 companies with State-supported foreign direct investment were employing 8,601 people in permanent jobs, and a further 595 in temporary and contract employment, at the date of the survey. Since then, however, it has been announced that over 2,500 job cuts, including approximately 2,000 in Dell, will be implemented by the end of 2009. The magnitude of the job losses, and the ongoing fallout from the Dell decision, led to the establishment by the Tánaiste of a mid-west task force to address the future development of the mid-west region with a particular emphasis on supporting sustainable employment. The investment projects that IDA Ireland is seeking to attract to Limerick are different from those of the past. IDA Ireland is relying principally on the skills of the people and the strong business and educational infrastructure to attract investment to the county. IDA Ireland's strategy is to re-position the region as a hotspot for knowledge-based industry, while focusing on marketing Limerick as a key location for investment by building on the strengths that are already evident in the county. To support this strategy, IDA Ireland works closely with educational institutions in the region to develop the skill sets necessary to attract high value-added employment to the county. IDA Ireland is working closely with the existing base of employers to encourage additional investment, particularly in activities such as research and development, customer support and back office functions. IDA Ireland is working closely with Shannon Development to provide suitable property solutions for potential investors to the county. I suggest that Deputy O'Donnell should submit parliamentary questions to the Tánaiste if he feels that some of his queries were not answered in my reply.

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