Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his proposals for job creation initiatives in Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26711/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of job creation is a day-to-day operational matter for the industrial development agencies and relevant county enterprise boards, and not one in which I have a direct role. IDA Ireland informs me that it continues to market south County Dublin, including Tallaght and its environs, as a potential location for new foreign direct investment, FDI, to secure new investment and additional jobs for the region.

IDA Ireland's strategy for the Dublin area is to attract and expand major FDI projects, moving up the value chain. South County Dublin is well equipped to compete with other areas for potential foreign direct investment given its superb infrastructural facilities at Citywest and Grangecastle and its third level institute of technology at Tallaght.

Sectors such as life sciences, including pharmaceuticals, provide high-value employment. This year the Japanese pharmaceuticals company Takeda Chemical Industries will complete construction of its facility at Grangecastle, Clondalkin. Greencastle is within easy commuting distance of Tallaght and the plant will employ more than 60 people upon completion. This is a significant and important investment from a leading company in Japan and will highlight Ireland as a key location for other such Japanese investors in the future. Also in Grangecastle, the pharmaceutical company Wyeth Biopharma opened this year and already employs approximately 900 highly skilled people. Wyeth Biopharma continues to recruit and will eventually employ 1,300 at the facility in Greencastle.

Enterprise Ireland works with companies in its portfolio to assist them grow their sales and exports and improve innovation so they can compete in world markets. The agency is encouraging companies to adopt new technologies to add value to their products and services. Since the beginning of 2002, Enterprise Ireland has approved over €9.6 million and made payments of over €9 million in support of development projects for indigenous companies in south County Dublin.

Enterprise Ireland is also actively involved with the provision of infrastructure to facilitate business development and employment. The agency has provided funding for the development of community enterprise centres in south Dublin such as Brookfield, Bolbrook and Killinarden. These centres provide incubation space for start-ups and micro-enterprises, and also provide ancillary services such as training, mentoring and customised courses to address the needs of the local clients.

Enterprise Ireland also supports the development of business incubation workspace as part of its ongoing commitment to fostering links between colleges and industry and has provided €2.54 million towards the development of incubation space at the Tallaght Institute of Technology. It is anticipated that graduates from the college or members of research teams based in the college will be to the forefront in using the centre and in creating new jobs, particularly in the high-tech sectors.

The South Dublin County Enterprise Board is also proactively involved in the development of indigenous enterprise and provides a source of support for small businesses in the region. The Tallaght area represents just over one third of the population of the county. Since its inception, the board has approved just over €3.4 million to businesses based in Tallaght. These grants and other financial supports have resulted in the creation and maintenance of 320 jobs.