Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are a couple of issues in the Bill that pertain to Kerry with which I disagree, but I will try to stick to the Bill as much as possible. I acknowledge that the purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the decision to integrate the research and policy adviser functions of Forfás into the Department. It also mentions the fact that Shannon Development, which exists in my area at present, is being dissolved. To that end, I am concerned in regard to the property portfolio that would traditionally in other parts of the country fall under IDA Ireland. As the Minister of State knows, Shannon NewCo will have a focus on the Shannon Airport region and the aviation industries whereas the technology park in Tralee is the main fulcrum of employment at the moment, with more than 400 people working there and €19.5 million in wages per annum going into the town. We do not have a home for it at present, largely due to the fact the local authority has expressed an interest, as has the technological university to be, which will be amalgamated with the Minister of State's institute of technology in Cork. It is an issue of great concern.

In addition, despite the fact there is high unemployment in the county, we are now at the point where the technology park is virtually full. In the event that some enterprise would consider coming to the technology park, we have empty factory floors which we have also provided to the IDA for the purposes of promoting and selling them. We would like to see those full in the not too distant future.

The technology park also has more sites which need to be built on. I would encourage the IDA to look at the idea of participating in a form of ownership. It is very much a case of "build it and they will come", and a number of us are actively pursuing employers, whether in financial services or manufacturing.

That would be the Tralee Chamber Alliance and some of the county council officials. I have spearheaded some of what we have done to date. The infrastructure needs to be in place and the capacity must be there to attract them. I ask the IDA and the Department to consider some capital investment in the area.

I was lucky enough to have served on a county enterprise board in Kerry. I found it to be hugely productive - more so than giving money. We had some excellent people like Tomás Hayes who were able to provide mentoring and bring mentors to places. I note that the Minister of State is looking at local enterprise boards. I like the idea that people on the ground who are involved in accountancy, politics, banking, etc., are brought in and it does not become a slush fund for the local authorities. It provides less funding that some of the LEADER groups but it provides a great deal more expertise to small and medium-sized enterprises, which is to be welcomed.

The hierarchy of the IDA is aware of the situation in Kerry. I again impress upon the Minister of State that we have been encouraged to develop small and medium-sized indigenous enterprises. Kerry Group, which is the largest food ingredients company in the world with over 25,000 employees, began in a prefab in north Kerry. I have told the Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Tánaiste on several occasions that it is very difficult for the people of Kerry to see a jobs announcement of 800 jobs in Naas when we are being encouraged to develop our own but are told it cannot establish in Kerry. I can understand some parts of the argument but if there is such displacement, there must be a balancing act whereby the IDA says that it recognises the contribution made by Kerry Group to our country and will, therefore, be attracting 800 jobs back to Kerry. That is only fair. I ask agencies to do so again.

There was a high level of knowledge within the county enterprise boards as to what was going on. Forfás, as we are learning here, is bringing technical expertise, research and policy into areas where the Minister can make decisive decisions to create jobs. That is what it is all about at the end of the day. It is not just about scaling back the amount of money that is spent in Departments. It is about creating jobs, having technical expertise and using people to the best of their ability. It is also about invigorating people and giving them the energy to have a vision for the country, to try to deliver on it and to have a holistic approach to it. I speak about Kerry because I have a restricted period of time in which to speak and I have concerns. The Minister of State has visited the technology park and the Institute of Technology, Tralee, and is aware of the problems. We need jobs in Kerry. We are working on it and, hopefully, we will have a couple of announcements before the end of the year and will work towards that. I thank the Minister of State for his time and wish him the best of luck with the new endeavour.

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