Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Killeen. I wish him well in his new appointment for however long it may last. In 1999, the closure of the AT Cross factory heralded the beginning of three major job losses in Ballinasloe, with the result that 900 jobs have been lost since 1999. The Tánaiste and then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, indicated that she prioritised the area because of her connections there, her commitment to the west of Ireland and the equal opportunity for investment throughout the country. These were the reasons given and she called on all the agencies such as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, FÁS, the local county enterprise board and Galway Rural Development to commit themselves to prioritise Ballinasloe. We were supposed to get review after review, but the only review carried out was an announcement of a further closure. The closure of Square D followed in rapid succession to AT Cross. Last September, we had the final nail in the coffin when Dubarry shed 40 jobs. Nothing remains of the three except a skeleton workforce in Dubarry, which is now only a distribution centre for its products.

Despite all the commitment and determination shown by various groups, nothing has happened. Nobody has ever heard of the reviews carried out as there was nothing to review except failure. There is a belief in Ballinasloe that along with those 700 jobs, the 1,300 public service jobs decentralised from Saint Brigid's hospital to other areas of the community have also been lost to the town. When we speak about decentralisation, we must realise that only one individual has indicated that he or she is prepared to go to Ballinasloe with the agency that is supposed to move there. This Government has turned its back on the people of east Galway and Ballinasloe in particular. If it was serious, it could surely have recognised that Ballinasloe might have become a hub centre or a gateway under the national spatial strategy. I ask the Minister to immediately meet with the relevant bodies and have a review on what can be done. If prioritisation means anything, then surely it means action sooner than five years down the road. I ask the Minister to indicate to me that he will call together all of the relevant bodies.

I must single out the Galway City and County Enterprise Board as the one body which has taken action and which has responded through the creation of some jobs. I must give credit to the CEO of that body, Mr. Charles Lynch.