Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I note from IDA Ireland's additional job creation figures from 2022 that County Clare is one of just five counties where there has been net negative growth in the year. What is the Minister of State going to have IDA Ireland do about this, to pull its socks up for next year and to ensure we are not in the same position we have been in for the past three years, namely, looking at a minus figure? Following the fantastic research done by the Clare Public Participation Network, it was identified that we have had two employment black spots in Clare for over a decade now, namely, Kilrush and Kilkee, which each reported rates of unemployment of over 25% in census 2016. South-west Clare formerly had a wealth of light industry but this took a nose-dive during the downturn and never came back. With the winding down of Moneypoint, the problem has only been exacerbated. I welcome the developments at Moneypoint Green Atlantic but it is not enough to provide a sustainable future. I implore the Minister of State to sit down with IDA Ireland and have a proper conversation about Kilkee and Kilrush. I ask that he sit down with me, departmental officials and even constituency colleagues to discuss that.

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