Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA Ireland and Shannon Development supported jobs created in north County Tipperary since 1997; the details of these jobs and their locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3177/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Job creation is a day-to-day issue for the enterprise development agencies of my Department and one in which I have no direct function. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. Shannon Development has responsibility for Irish industry in the Shannon region, including north County Tipperary. IDA Ireland, through its network of local and overseas offices, is actively marketing north County Tipperary on an ongoing basis as a location for foreign direct investment while Shannon Development has undertaken a number of initiatives in support of the indigenous sector.

From 1997 to 2003, the last year for which figures are available, a total of 567 and 1664 new jobs were created in IDA Ireland and Shannon Development supported companies in north County Tipperary respectively. County data for 2004 will not be available until mid-2005. The following table details the number of jobs created by both agencies in north County Tipperary from 1997 to 2003.

Regional Development has become a significant focus of Government policy. This importance has been confirmed in the national development plan and through the preparation of the national spatial strategy. IDA Ireland will be focusing its strategy for north County Tipperary upon the concept of regional economic centres; in this case the linking of Thurles to the gateway of Limerick/Shannon. IDA Ireland is now targeting companies which have higher skill requirements, and which are more knowledge intensive.

IDA Ireland continues to work closely with its clients in north County Tipperary to encourage them to expand their existing operations in the county through the IDA strategic competitiveness programme. A substantial programme of activity is under way with the existing overseas companies, to consolidate and grow their operations where possible.

Initiatives undertaken by Shannon Development include the development of the Tipperary technology park in Thurles, one of a network of five such parks in the region. There are five companies operating out of the park in areas such as e-commerce, digital cinema, software development and health and safety. Shannon Development and North Tipperary Enterprise Board also operate offices in the park. Shannon Development has acquired a 29 acre site in Roscrea with a view to developing a business park appropriate to the needs of the area. It is envisaged that the park will be attractive because of its location to office, logistics and industrial enterprises. Shannon Development in association with local authorities is spearheading the drive to bring high speed Internet access to the region. Thurles, Nenagh and Roscrea have been scheduled as priority towns for phase two of the broadband roll-out programme and this should assist in attracting foreign direct investment and indigenous industry. Newport has also been selected by Shannon Development as part of its e-towns pilot project which aims to assist the renewal and improvement of smaller communities in multiple locations.