Written answers

Wednesday, 26 January 2005

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Job Losses

9:00 pm

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans with regard to the recent spate of job losses in the Kerry area; and his investment plans for the county. [1349/05]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Job creation is a day-to-day operational issue for the industrial development agencies under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. As Minister, I do not have any direct involvement in the matter. IDA Ireland, which has responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland, is focusing on the linked hub towns of Tralee and Killarney as part of its strategy for marketing the county as a location for additional such investment. While there have been job losses in recent years, overall employment in County Kerry in companies which are supported by IDA Ireland is performing relatively well when considered in the context of Ireland being less competitive as a location for low wage manufacturing projects. Similarly, the recent global downturn resulted in fewer companies actively seeking to invest overseas and less companies visiting Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland has commenced working with former employees of companies which recently closed to identify training needs and alternative employment requirements. Enterprise Ireland liaises with other State agencies such as FÁS and the local county enterprise board in providing support in this regard. Enterprise Ireland works with individuals who may wish to start their own businesses and advises them on the supports available for this purpose.

Under its 2002 community enterprise programme, Enterprise Ireland approved funding of €183,487 for the expansion of Killarney technology innovation centre, which supports 66 employees in various companies. Phase 2 of the development, which has been completed, will increase the capacity of the centre by an additional 4,000 sq. ft. to meet the demand for suitable space and thereby provide more high quality jobs to the local economy. Enterprise Ireland has provided over €2 million to build an incubation centre at the new IT Tralee campus, which was completed at the end of 2004, and companies have started to move in.

Shannon Development is responsible for industry in north Kerry. Some 106 jobs were created in 2004 by Shannon Development companies in the region. The principal contributing companies in this regard were Altobridge Limited, Kerry Group, GCX Limited, Cameo Products Limited and Kerryman Limited. Kerry technology park, which is owned and managed by Shannon Development, and was developed in partnership with the Institute of Technology, Tralee, opened for business in July 2001. The park is part of the Shannon Development knowledge network, a network of five such parks. It has been a great success and is virtually full.

In 2003, Shannon Development unveiled plans for a new-style business development centre in Listowel. The 10,500 sq. ft. building, which is located on a two-acre site at Listowel business park in Clieveragh, will mark a departure in the style of premises available to indigenous start-up businesses in the Listowel area. Shannon Development is investing almost €1.7 million in the building, which will provide a range of lettable units varying in size from approximately 215 sq. ft. to approximately 1,200 sq. ft., the type of space required by the smaller business. The building will shortly be handed over to Shannon Development.

In 2004, Kerry county enterprise board approved €249,433 in grant assistance to 36 micro-enterprise projects at start-up or expansion stage, thereby facilitating the creation of an additional 45 jobs throughout the county. Some €307,694 was paid in grant aid by the board in respect of 43 projects during the course of the year. The board spent a further €139,738 on the provision of a variety of business training programmes in areas such as food production, child care facilities, health and safety, management development and business initiatives. The board is confident that it will continue to be in a position to provide an appropriate level of assistance to quality projects that present over the coming year. The Department's agencies are working to address the employment needs of the Kerry area and to promote the area for suitable investment projects in the future.

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