Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The Government and the industrial development agencies are concerned at the situation in south Tipperary and in the other areas of the country outlined by the Senator. While I am conscious of the effect that job losses have on the workers involved and their families, as well as on local communities, I assure anybody affected that the State agencies will give every support they can in order to assist workers who lose their jobs and to develop new employment opportunities in these areas.

The role of FÁS, the employment and training authority, continues to be particularly important in assisting people who lose their jobs. FÁS employment services in the south-east region have engaged with the companies mentioned in south Tipperary. The authority has provided career guidance, access to training and financial support for training to workers in the affected companies. The authority continues to provide ongoing support to employees made redundant in those companies. In addition, FÁS in the south east is providing a comprehensive package of supports for workers in Waterford Crystal, including those from south Tipperary, and is also part of the interagency response in Waterford. Similarly, FÁS mid-west is providing a comprehensive package of measures for workers in Dell and is part of the Government task force recently announced.

The strategy of IDA Ireland for south Tipperary is to concentrate future economic development in Clonmel and to develop the town as a first-class location for overseas investment. This strategy has been agreed with South Tipperary County Council. The agency is actively engaged with its existing client base in County Tipperary to encourage their transition to higher value activities with a view to increasing their embeddedness in their location within Ireland.

Currently, there are 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in south Tipperary, employing over 3,000 people. The key industry sector for south Tipperary is life sciences, which accounts for over 90% of employment. In marketing south Tipperary for new foreign direct investment, IDA Ireland is focused on attracting overseas companies in the services and knowledge-based industries, including advanced manufacturing. Recent key wins for the county have been Cordis and Alza in Cashel. In December 2008, Cordis officially opened its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, development laboratory and finished goods testing facility in Cashel.

To compete for investments at the highest end of the value chain, IDA Ireland has purchased 20 hectares of land in the South Tipperary County Council owned Ballingarrane Estate in Clonmel. I am confident that the future development of the Ballingarrane lands, incorporating the IDA business park and Tipperary Institute, will be a key asset in attracting foreign direct investment into south Tipperary. In addition, IDA Ireland continues to work closely with third level educational institutions in the region to ensure that the skill sets necessary to attract high value added employment to the county are being developed. The agency also maintains a close relationship with FÁS to ensure the requirements of industry, particularly in the areas of training and up-skilling, are being met.

Enterprise Ireland continues to foster job creation in south Tipperary and in the south-east region. In the past three years, Enterprise Ireland has approved funding of over €18 million and made payments of over €6 million to client companies in south Tipperary. As part of an initiative to encourage new start-ups in the region, the agency supports the enterprise platform programme — a one-year incubation programme designed to provide hands-on support and management development for entrepreneurs wanting to set up their own business — by funding eligible participants to attend. The south-east EPP for 2008-09 started in September 2008 and an additional programme will begin in September 2009. The development of community enterprise centres is a crucial part of the drive to create new regional enterprise. Enterprise Ireland has assisted in the establishment of community enterprise centres in Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Tipperary Town. All of these centres are now operating successfully and have achieved occupancy rates of 80%.

Tipperary South County Enterprise Board, together with other county enterprise boards in the region — Clare, Cork north, Kerry, Limerick city, Limerick county, Tipperary north, Waterford city and Waterford county — have been working to support individuals, firms, and community groups. During 2008, Tipperary South County Enterprise Board paid out more than €240,000 in grant assistance to 26 projects. In 2008, 587 people participated in Tipperary South County Enterprise Board training and development programmes. These interventions have contributed to the development of sustainable local growth-oriented enterprises which continue to deliver high quality job creation.

I am confident that the strategies being pursued by the State development agencies, in partnership with other key players, together with the Government's ongoing commitment to regional development, will drive investment and job creation for south Tipperary generally.