Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise the need for a cross-Border business park in east Donegal and I have in mind locations including, among others, Muff, Bridgend, Newtowncunningham, areas around Killea and Carrigans. There is an obvious location at Bridgend that may have greater benefits than the other areas on the basis of its proximity to Buncrana, which the IDA has earmarked for focussed investment.

I am pleased the Minister of State is before the House today because he represents the Department of Education and Science. One of the strong points of my area derives, in a funny way, from the demise of the textile industry. People tended to leave school early when the textile industry thrived and its demise hit hard because whole families were employed in it and, therefore, were left unemployed. There has not been great change in the level of businesses entering the region, though there is a small number of successful new enterprises, and this is why I again raise the concept of a cross-Border business park.

Northern Ireland will host a major economic conference seeking investment in May but I am not sure how much the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has done with regard to developing an all-island dimension to this call from the North. We may say that the North is a different jurisdiction with its own business but we talk about the all-island approach in other contexts. I ask the Minister of State to inform the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment that his Department should be represented at the conference, where it can push the concept of a business park in east Donegal. This park will be above and beyond what is in Letterkenny and will support the area I am from, Inishowen, but will only be beneficial if it creates additional opportunities. It would not be acceptable to merely relocate people from one side of the Border to the other on account of our tax policies. If we have service sites on the Border that can be sold by the IDA there is bound to be a positive impact on both the Derry side and the Donegal side.

Derry is the fourth largest city on this island so mutual collaboration is the key because it will mean east Donegal is surrounded by access points. One of the difficulties in selling my area is that people see Ireland not as a 32 county island but a 26 county island. Derry is accessible by air and, slowly, by train; roads are being improved and we are surrounded by water. Letterkenny Institute of Technology is receiving serious investment from the Government, which is helping it with innovation funds and incubation units. I hope the incubation units and the drive that comes from the innovation fund will filter into businesses but if businesses in incubation units create ideas they will need service sites to move into. This is apart from the fact that we need locations for outside investors.

I am not convinced that the potential of my area is being maximised. Decentralisation is to reach Buncrana, the €21 million investment has begun and building work is commencing but we must sell the message that the area is as good any in which to invest. The situation is not helped when jobs are threatened, such as those related to the Coast Guard at Malin Head. Signals from Government on the importance of a location are crucial.

I raise this issue because we have spoken of a cross-Border business park for some time and Sir Reg Empey studied the location from a Northern Irish perspective a long time ago. We have talked about this for too long and action is needed. Someone must make a decision. The IDA must stop examining sites and start acquiring sites, creating the basic infrastructure that is needed. For example, if there is a good response to the investment conference in May we may be able to get some of the benefits in the north west. If people are drawn through an investment conference in the North to looking at Derry as an option, a cross-Border business park or a business park in Donegal will attract those same people because corporation tax and other incentives will ensure they come to us rather than stay in Derry.

I hope the Minister of State has good news for me. Given the many tours into the area I hope there will be many announcements of investment. I come from a good location that has a good support network of education. We are beside the fourth largest city in the country and we should exploit the potential of the May conference.