Dáil debates

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Mid-West Task Force: Statements

 

12:00 pm

Photo of Joe CareyJoe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I have raised this matter on a number of occasions by way of Adjournment debate and parliamentary questions and I welcome the fact the Government has provided time to debate it.

Strong regions are a basis for a strong country. It is in the interest of every citizen in this country that the mid west is allowed to realise its undoubted potential. Balanced regional development must be much more than a catchphrase. We need proper, sustained investment in the mid-west region.

The mid-west task force was established February 2009 by the Tánaiste to consider and make recommendations to address the serious economic downturn experienced in Counties Clare and Limerick and in north Tipperary. Last Friday I attended a meeting called by the chairman of the task force, Mr. Denis Brosnan. He chose to go public with his frustration at the lack of response to the report shown by Government to date. The 20 recommendations contained in the report are clear, concise and unambiguous. The key conclusions, along with the thought process, as presented in his interim report, reflect the difference between one of our most successful businessmen and the manner in which the Government works. The interim report has been sitting on the desk of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment since last July with no work done on it.

We have reached a critical stage in our region - a stage when the Government's attitude needs to change. That is the stated position of Denis Brosnan, the chairman of the task force. He said that at the meeting and publicly afterwards. The interim report could not be more simple in the manner in which it is presented. It consists of an executive summary with 20 recommendations, which require implementation. This report and the recommendations were put together to be implemented. They cannot be ignored. The report also contains eight key issues to be addressed in the final report along with eight chapters explaining how the task force came to its conclusions.

The report points to a litany of systematic neglect of the region by Government. The facts speak for themselves. Net employment in enterprise supported by State agencies dropped by 17% in the mid-west region in 2009 as opposed to 11% in other regions. There has been a 12% year on year decline in passenger numbers through Shannon Airport in 2008 and 2009 with the same expected in 2010, although it probably will be much worse. Unemployment in the mid west, from a percentage point of view, is higher than in other regions. Unemployment is more than 1% higher in the mid west as compared to the national figure.

The report also highlighted an acute problem developing in regard to unemployment among the under 25s. More than 7,000 people under the age of 25 are unemployed in the mid-west region. Tourism, which is a major industry in the mid-west region, is in rapid decline, as was pointed out in the report. This is just a flavour of the downward spiral of the economy of the mid-west region.

In his presentation last Friday, Denis Brosnan was direct in his conclusions. He informed the Oireachtas Members that if no action was taken on implementing his report, we would have a generation of unemployed people who should be encouraged to emigrate because we will not be able to cater for them. That is a damning indictment of Government.

This Government is propped up by a considerable number of Deputies who put their political party first instead of their region. One of the more high profile members of Cabinet, the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, represents the region, supposedly backed up by a cohort of junior Ministers. It is time backbenchers and junior and senior Ministers stood up and said the mid-west region counts, deserves investment and that they will not stand for this report being left on a shelf ad infinitum with none of the recommendations implemented.

A man of the calibre of Denis Brosnan said he is being blatantly ignored by Government. That is not acceptable. It is up to political leaders in this country to step up to the plate and ensure the recommendations are implemented. I would say to Government party members that if the recommendations are not implemented in a timely fashion to withdraw their support for the Government, which depends on their support at every vote. They are only propping up the Government if they do not insist on that.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.