Seanad debates

Tuesday, 15 April 2003

Adjournment Matters. - Decentralisation Programme.

 

2:30 pm

Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

Well over a year ago, on 31 January 2002, I raised in the Dáil the issue of decentralisation for Newcastle West, Kilrush and Listowel. At the time the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, indicated that he was not in a position to state when decentralisation would occur. In his Budget Statement of December 1999 he announced that he would embark upon a new and radical programme of decentralisation, thus transferring the maximum number of jobs. In the mid-west region towns such as Nenagh and Ennis have benefited from decentralisation. Like Newcastle West, they are both about 25 miles from Limerick city. The people of Newcastle West are entitled, therefore, to be disappointed as decentralisation has not happened. During the years there have been job losses in Giro, Neodata and Kostal. In addition, the town lost its Objective One status which acted as a disincentive to potential industrialists. Although it has developed as a satellite town of Limerick city with a consequent dramatic increase in housing – in many cases, much of the town's population commutes to outside areas – there is a strong feeling that it has not benefited as much as it should in attracting appropriate industry.

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