Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for selecting this important issue. I have highlighted this issue in the House in recent years, whether through a Topical Issue matter or written or oral questions. The timelines have dragged on considerably in recent times.

I want to hear from the Minister of State today on where exactly things are at the moment. This is a highly important potential development for Carlow town. It is an advance facility. Carlow town was one of the nine towns selected in 2015 as part of the €150 million project at the time for an advance facility. Towns were picked or selected on the basis that they suffered job losses in the previous period. Like many other towns in the country, Carlow suffered many job losses, including at the sugar factory. The sugar industry was wound down approximately ten years ago. Another large factory in Carlow town at the time was the Braun facility, which at its peak employed 1,400 people. Again, that came to a conclusion approximately ten years ago. As a result, it was decided that an advance facility would be helpful to try to reinvigorate Carlow town.

It must be acknowledged at the same time that several extra facilities have come on board in Carlow town and have been developed, including the MSD facility, which has gone from strength to strength in the past ten years. That was done on the basis of an advance site being purchased approximately ten years ago in conjunction with Carlow County Council. The company could have been attracted to several different facilities, but we were fortunate in Carlow that MSD came along and purchased the whole site. The company is now expanding, and by the time of completion it will have an employment capacity of approximately 800 people. Obviously, that is important for Carlow town. What we need at the moment is the other advance facility that has been promised to give Carlow town and the surrounding areas an extra boost to push on employment prospects.

This issue has been dragging on for several years. In May this year, in answer to an oral question, the Minister informed me that the site for the facility had been purchased by IDA Ireland. It was suggested that planning permission for the advance facility would be lodged within several weeks. That was on 14 May 2019, which was five or six months ago. We are no wiser in Carlow now about when the planning application will be lodged. In answer to my oral question in May, it was suggested that, depending on planning permission, construction would commence towards the end of 2019. As of today, 16 October, no planning permission has been lodged. It is obvious that there will not be a commencement date this year, and so another year will go by. There is no sign of the planning application. The site has been built. In my estimation it will be several years before we go through the planning process, commence the stage of building so that the facility will be in Carlow.

I thank the Minister of State for his presence today. I want to know about the timescales. The purchase of the site was completed in May, as per the answer to my oral question. There is no sign of the planning application. I would like to know a definite timescale for when that application will be lodged. Presuming that the planning process will be completed in the normal time, when is it hoped that the facility will start operating? What work has been done to ensure that appropriate tenants come into this facility so that we provide appropriate employment in the general area in the coming period?

See this speech in context