Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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4. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures she is taking to address the high levels of employment deprivation in Tipperary town; the efforts being made to attract business to Tipperary town and west County Tipperary; if she will establish a task force for employment for Tipperary town and its environs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43005/18]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I ask the Minister the situation regarding visits and efforts by her Department, Enterprise Ireland and others to create jobs in Tipperary town and stimulate growth there. The town has been neglected for decades. Many promises were made by the former Minister, Deputy Kelly, among others. The recent announcement of jobs elsewhere only adds to the anguish of those in Tipperary town, where there are no jobs. What plans does the Minister have to support the community in west Tipperary, particularly Tipperary town and its environs?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to securing and growing quality employment in all parts of the country and I am firmly focused on delivering on A Programme for a Partnership Government target of creating 200,000 new jobs by 2020, with 135,000 of those jobs to be located outside Dublin. In addition to job creation and retention, it is important to ensure that the jobs created are of good quality and sustainable in the long term.

My Department and its enterprise agencies play a key role in supporting the creation of quality, sustainable jobs in the regions, including Tipperary. There are currently 11 IDA Ireland client companies in County Tipperary, employing a total of 3,665 people. Foreign direct investment employment in County Tipperary increased by almost 9% from 2016 to 2017, with 297 net new jobs created. IDA Ireland continues to support its clients in growing their businesses and footprints in County Tipperary. Prominent IDA client companies there include Abbott Ireland, Boston Scientific and Merck Sharp and Dohme, which together employ 2,500 people. IDA Ireland also owns sites in County Tipperary which are being actively marketed to its clients.

In 2017, 5,907 people were employed in Enterprise Ireland-supported companies in County Tipperary, representing an 8% increase on 2016. Underpinning Enterprise Ireland’s 2017 employment results are a range of activities and supports which help 123 companies in County Tipperary to innovate and remain competitive in international markets. In the period 2015-17, Enterprise Ireland supported client companies based in Tipperary with €9.7 million in funding. Under the regional enterprise development fund, Enterprise Ireland has approved funding for the development of a state-of-the-art national bioeconomy innovation and piloting facility encompassing flexible, modular, pilot-scale multipurpose chemical and biological infrastructure at Lisheen mine.

The local enterprise office, LEO, in Tipperary is the first stop shop for advice, guidance, financial assistance and soft supports such as training and mentoring for anyone wishing to start or grow a business in the area. In 2017, 297 LEO client companies in Tipperary employed 1,595 people. The Tipperary LEO created 467 new jobs with a net increase of 262 jobs. It provided training to 1,695 participants and 319 people availed of mentoring sessions.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Since 2015, the regional action plan for jobs initiative has been a central pillar of the Government's ambition to support the creation of 135,000 new jobs outside Dublin by 2020. A key objective of each of the eight regional plans is to have a further 10% to 15% at work in each region by 2020, with the unemployment rate in each region not to be more than one percentage point above the national average. Tipperary forms part of the south-east regional action plan for jobs implementation committee and also has strong functional and collaborative links with the mid-west region.

The plans have helped to facilitate a strong foundation of collaboration among business, industry, local authorities, enterprise agencies and other key stakeholders in the regions. A united desire for a collective effort towards regional economic development has emerged since the plans were launched. This is a more strategic approach to development than establishing task forces for specific areas.

In order to continue to support enterprise growth and job creation in the regions and in towns and counties such as Tipperary, in April 2018 I initiated a refresh and refocus of all the regional action plans for jobs to ensure their effectiveness, relevance and impact to 2020. Yesterday, I met the chairs of implementation committees. I am satisfied they are on track to deliver ambitious and impactful revised action plans by the end of the year.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The Minister read out statistics relating to County Tipperary. I specifically asked about Tipperary town and west Tipperary but she avoided that completely. If it were not for the Tipperary Co-operative, Brodeen Fabrications, a multitude of small businesses there and the voluntary sector, Tipperary town would be closed down. The Government is doing nothing for it. It adds insult to injury when the Minister reads out that list. We welcome the foreign direct investment jobs in Clonmel and elsewhere in the county and the new things happening at Lisheen mines. Although the Minister might not be aware of the geography, I thought the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, might be able to tell her that this is about Tipperary town and its environs in west Tipperary, where there are no jobs, no supports and, apart from one recent endeavour, no business from IDA Ireland. The people there need assistance. They are a very proud and enterprising people who are very active in the voluntary sector but they need supports. The Pobal index indicates that in recent years some areas of Tipperary town had unemployment rates of over 30%. The unemployment rate for young people there is shocking. The young people of the town go to its great schools, move on to university and never return to the town as there is nothing to keep them there. The Minister missed the point completely while reading out her prepared script. This is about Tipperary town and west Tipperary, as the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, well knows. I hope the Minister visits it very soon to see the situation on the ground for herself.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The live register in Tipperary town has decreased by 48% since 2011. I am very conscious that certain towns across the country are not doing as well as others. Tipperary town is not unique. Other towns across the country have engaged and come together and identified a suite of Government supports for towns in need of support. Those supports have been made available because the Government wants to try to help those towns. That is why Project Ireland 2040 introduced a new €1 billion rural regeneration and development fund which is being administered by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, and shows the commitment of the Government to strengthening our rural economies and local communities.

For the period 2019 to 2022, a sum of €315 million has been allocated. The fund will provide investment to support suitable rural renewal projects in towns such as Tipperary, with a population of less than 10,000, including outlying areas. I hope good quality applications have been submitted for projects in Tipperary town. That is what towns need to do. The agencies, chamber of commerce and businesses in a town need to come together to identify their strengths and submit an application for funding. The money is available.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The Tipperary town brand is unique worldwide. It has, however, been neglected by this and several previous Governments. The town needs support. As the Minister will be aware, some of the most accurate indicators of deprivation are the census of population statistics and the Pobal deprivation index. Variables used in the compilation of the index include demographic growth, dependency ratios, educational attainment levels of parents, the single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. Tipperary is a black spot. People there are taking to the streets this Saturday for a jobs march. It has been neglected. It is time such black spots were separated. There are other towns throughout the country which are in the same position, but there is none which has been as badly neglected as Tipperary. It was neglected by successive Governments, including the one in which I was involved in 2007. We would have nothing were it not for Tipperary Co-op, Brodeen Engineering and many other small businesses and shops. I refer also to the inspiration and massive voluntary effort made decades ago by Canon Hayes. It includes examples such as the Canon Hayes Recreation Centre and the MooreHaven Centre. Community enterprises are doing well, but the Minister and her Department are missing the point about towns such as this which need and must receive support.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I assure the Deputy the supports are available. Those involved in the town need to work together and come forward with applications.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There is lots of money available, but they need to come forward with applications.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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They have.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Deputy to work with and encourage them to build on their strengths.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The applications have been refused.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy knows what Tipperary needs. Those involved do not need to work in isolation but in collaboration. We just need to look over the border into County Limerick for an example. Limerick city has achieved wonderful success through collaboration between the university, the education sector, State agencies, the local authority-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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With all respect, I am talking about Tipperary town. The Minister should not be wandering.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am giving an example to show what has been achieved-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I do not need a geography lesson.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Please, Deputy, I am giving an example to show what has worked and continues to work-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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It is the Minister's prerogative.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am just trying to be helpful. Those involved in Tipperary town need to work collaboratively.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Will the Minister come and visit?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Please, Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There are many opportunities to apply and draw down funding from the various schemes, including the regional enterprise development fund. Those involved on the site of the former Lisheen Mines were very successful in making an application. It was excellent and they received funding. It is leading and cutting edge stuff.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is not in Tipperary town. Will the Minister come and visit?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Please, Deputy. I am moving to the next question.