Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

The recent increase in the numbers on the live register is unwelcome and is an indication of the challenges that face the labour market and the economy as a whole.

The Government is taking specific measures to address these challenges and to ensure job losses are minimised as much as possible. Our priority is to create the environment that will allow those who have lost their jobs to quickly return to the labour market. The enterprise development agencies, with FÁS, are actively engaged in facilitating job opportunities in County Mayo.

In line with the national spatial strategy, IDA Ireland seeks to attract foreign direct investment into the county through the linked hubs of Ballina and Castlebar, as well as the town of Westport. IDA Ireland's sectoral emphasis in Mayo is on attracting new knowledge-intensive projects in the medical technologies, life sciences, information communications technology and international services sectors.

At present there are 19 IDA Ireland supported companies in Mayo employing slightly fewer than 3,000 people in permanent jobs and approximately 500 more in temporary and contract employment. IDA Ireland is actively working with the existing base of overseas companies in County Mayo to encourage them to grow and expand. Baxter International Inc, a world leading health care company, announced in November 2007 that it intended to invest more than €75 million over a six year period. This investment is part of a strategic programme to introduce new technologies, higher value products and the reskilling of its workforce to its manufacturing plants in Castlebar and Swinford, County Mayo.

The agency is investing significantly in the provision of planned and focused property solutions in the county by developing world-class business and technology parks in Ballina, Westport, and Castlebar. The agency has invested €3.5 million on site development and in a landscaping programme for the park in Westport. IDA Ireland is closing the sale of approximately 1.2 hectares to the ESB and is at an advanced stage of negotiations for the development of a 110 KV sub-station on this site, which will service the development of the park and significantly enhance the power provision for the region.

IDA Ireland is an active participant in the county development board and works with local groups, utility providers and other agencies to ensure that Mayo secures the appropriate infrastructure to enable the existing companies to develop and to make the area sufficiently attractive for new projects. IDA Ireland has been deeply involved with local partners in the development of regional planning guidelines and it collaborates with other stakeholders in the county to promote the infrastructure and environment for enterprise and job creation.

New indigenous companies have also been established and have created employment in the county. In April 2007, Ovagen announced 60 jobs for Ballina. An important feature of Enterprise Ireland's work in Mayo is the development of high potential start-up companies. Companies supported include Home Textiles Direct in Westport and Theta Chemicals in Ballindine. Enterprise Ireland works with 124 client companies in the county that employ 3,155 people. Funding through Enterprise Ireland was made available in 2007 to ensure that ideas, research and technology generated in Irish universities and colleges are used to keep Irish companies at the cutting edge of the knowledge economy. In the west, this will allow for the appointment of three high calibre commercial technology specialists, based in NUI Galway, to develop strong commercial links between universities and business.

Enterprise Ireland has approved support for community owned enterprise centres in ten locations in the county. These are Ballina, Ballyhaunis, Brickens, Castlebar, Charlestown, Claremorris, Crossmolina, Foxford, Killala and Kiltimagh. This helps to provide much needed workspace for the creation of new projects and businesses. In April 2007, a new community enterprise centre scheme was announced to provide €21 million of capital funding for the period between 2007 and 2009 to assist community groups in building enterprise centres.

Employment services are available at the FÁS offices in Ballina and Castlebar. FÁS funds the local employment service through the Mayo Partnership Company. This company runs the Obair offices in towns throughout the county to support the unemployed, with a particular emphasis on those who are most distant from the labour market. There are approximately 1,500 people participating in FÁS training programmes in County Mayo, with 842 participating in community employment projects. The other programmes in the region include the job initiative, local training initiatives, supported employment, specialist training providers and job clubs.

For those who have lost their jobs and those in employment, the importance of upskilling to this economy's competitiveness is vital. The skills of our workforce will need to adapt quickly to meet the challenges posed by a rapidly shifting global economic market. The participation of ever greater numbers of our population in lifelong learning is essential to ensure that this country's economy remains adaptable against the background of the kind of economic challenges that we face today. Through individually tailored training programmes run by FÁS and Skillnets, the Government is demonstrating its commitment to life-long learning for our workforce.

These are challenging times and as a small open economy, Ireland is particularly prone to the effects of a global economic downturn. However, as outlined here today, the Government continues to develop the necessary policies and initiatives to tackle the issues facing us.