Ciarán Cannon (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to explain to the House the role played by Enterprise Ireland and the IDA in encouraging job creation in rural towns? From my experience in County Galway, they are playing little or no role. In the Lower House a question was posed to the Minister to learn how many investors had been brought to a number of vacant industrial parks in rural parts of County Galway in the past year. The answer was none. While 58 investors have been brought to Galway city, no one has been brought to the 27-acre business and technology park in Tuam or any of the other industrial parks throughout County Galway in recent years. Expanding on the theme of growth, we must recognise that there are the capacity, expertise and determination within all rural towns to create the jobs we need, but such towns are being ignored by Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. Consider what can happen when such capacity, expertise and determination are rewarded. For example, JFC Manufacturing Limited in Tuam employs 200 people, Chanelle Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Limited in Loughrea employs 220 people and has a presence in 90 countries, while Topform in Gort has just exported its first shipment to Australia. There is the capacity to create jobs in rural towns. Enterprise Ireland needs a dedicated unit to support this development. I am interested in hearing the Minister's views on the establishment of such a unit.