Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 725: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he proposes to showcase Enniscorthy as a suitable base for new business at forthcoming trade meetings he will be attending; his knowledge of such a strategy by Enterprise Ireland; if he proposes to make personal representations to international commercial bodies on behalf of Enniscorthy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40209/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The promotion of individual areas, including towns such as Enniscorthy, is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. While I may give general policy directives to IDA Ireland, I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving from giving preference to one area over others. However, at the request of the agencies, I can and do assist them from time to time in their efforts to market Ireland and its regions for new investment and jobs.

IDA Ireland believes it is important from a regional perspective to maximise the level of FDI locating in County Wexford and its overall strategy in the county is to work towards this objective. These companies not alone bring high wage jobs to the county but also have potential knock-on benefits in other sectors such as supply, distribution and transport, thus creating further investment-employment opportunities for local people in the immediate vicinity and surrounding areas, including Enniscorthy.

The attraction of FDI to regional locations such as Enniscorthy is not an easy task, with clients looking at Ireland often only willing to consider larger centres that have the scale, infrastructure and services capable of sustaining their investment. IDA Ireland's strategic response in County Wexford is to concentrate its resources in the medium to long term on Wexford town, as it is the location with the greatest potential to develop as a first class location for attracting overseas industry. This does not mean, however, that it is are other areas in the county, including the promotion of Enniscorthy where suitable opportunities arise. Enniscorthy has an 11,000 sq. ft. enterprise and technology centre and, although there have been two IDA site visits to the centre, neither company has taken up the option on the facility. In this context it must be remembered that the investor decides where to locate a project.

Enterprise Ireland, which is the agency with primary responsibility for supporting indigenous industry, works through its network of 33 overseas offices and its network of offices in Ireland, to ensure the business partners, customers and associates of Irish companies are fully informed of the benefits of trading with Ireland. The agency is working with companies in its portfolio in Enniscorthy and in County Wexford generally and is also assisting client companies to grow their sales and exports and improve innovation so that they can compete on world markets. I am confident the strategies and policies being pursued by the development agencies, together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development will bear fruit in terms of additional sustainable investment and jobs for the people of Wexford, including Enniscorthy.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 726: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the initiatives which will be forthcoming from his Department to stimulate employment in Enniscorthy, County Wexford; the most recent initiatives that have been taken by Enterprise Ireland to achieve same; the companies which are in negotiations to occupy the Advance factory in the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40210/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of job creation by companies supported by the enterprise development agencies is a day to day matter for the relevant agencies and County Enterprise Boards (CEB), and not matters with which I am directly involved.

Enterprise Ireland recognises that there have been a number of significant job losses over the past number of years in County Wexford due to the closure of some key employers. Since 2003, 983 full time jobs created in client companies were offset by job losses of 1,141. Enterprise Ireland continues to work with client companies to help them become more competitive. Since 2003 the agency has approved funding of over €4.7 million and made payments of over €4.5 million to client companies in the county.

In May last year, I launched Enterprise Ireland's Strategy 2005-2007. Under the new strategy Enterprise Ireland clients are offered a range of supports that assist them to increase their exports, sales and employment, and develop a more competitive and self-sufficient industrial structure. I also launched the Productivity Improvement Fund, which supports eligible manufacturing companies adopt advanced technologies and focus on skill developments to improve productivity, thus laying the foundation for export readiness. Enterprise Ireland also supports potential entrepreneurs via the Enterprise Start-Up programme in the south east, and through other programmes such as the South East Enterprise Platform Programme.

County Wexford had a total of 1,993 people working in IDA Ireland supported companies at the end of 2004. This compares with 1,851 people in 2003 and 1,802 people in 2002. There is one IDA supported company in Enniscorthy, Reynaers Architectural Systems Ltd. IDA strategy for County Wexford in the medium to long term will be to concentrate resources on Wexford town as the location with the greatest potential to develop as a first class location for attracting overseas industry. In the short-term, IDA Ireland is concentrating efforts on New Ross where there is an available advance technology building to market to potential overseas clients.

Wexford CEB has been proactively involved in promoting Enniscorthy as a centre for business and employment. Since its inception in 1993, Wexford CEB has approved just over €2.5 million to businesses based in the Enniscorthy area, which represents 35% of total approvals for the entire county. These grants and other financial supports have assisted in the creation of 404 jobs in the area.

The Enniscorthy Enterprise and Technology Centre was brought to fruition with support from both Wexford CEB and Enterprise Ireland, which provided funding under the community enterprise centre urban scheme. This 11,000 sq. ft. enterprise centre was completed in 2002, provides space for start-up businesses and also links closely with the education system in providing backup for small businesses. I understand that six of the seven units are now occupied and provide employment for 29 persons. Waterford Institute of Technology has a permanent presence in the centre and provides an enterprise support unit which works closely with Wexford CEB in providing training and expertise to enterprises in the area. To date more than 500 people have received training, including 200 on third level certified courses.

In relation to the advance factory in Enniscorthy, I understand that this is a privately owned enterprise funded under a BES scheme. Enterprise Ireland have informed me that, should any present or potential client companies express an interest in locating in the South East or more specifically in County Wexford, Enterprise Ireland will inform them of the factory in Enniscorthy. There have been two IDA site visits to the Enniscorthy site, but neither company has taken up the option on the facility.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 727: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 500 of 29 November 2005 his views on whether that, in stark contrast to the situation pertaining to special areas of conservation, the absence of similar notification, consultation and compensation provisions for affected landowners in respect of the designation of safety zones for establishments under the terms of the Seveso directive is an affront to both natural and constitutional justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40242/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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As I indicated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 311 on 9 March 2005, Council Directive 96/82/EC — the Seveso directive — which was transposed into Irish law through the European Communities (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2000 (S.I. No. 476 of 2000), requires, under Article 12, that the objectives of preventing major accidents and limiting the consequences of such accidents are taken into account by the member states in their land use policies and or other relevant policies. It requires, in the interests of safety, that these policies must take account of the need, in the long term, to maintain appropriate distances between establishments covered by the directive and residential areas, areas of public use and areas of particular natural sensitivity or interest. The directive does not make any provision for compensation in respect of any matter covered by it.

The directive further requires that the procedures set up to implement these policies must be designed to ensure technical advice on the risks arising from the establishment is available, on a case by case or on a generic basis, when decisions are taken. Regulation 29 of the European Communities (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2000 covers the provision of such technical advice to planning authorities by the Health and Safety Authority. The planning authorities are the major decision makers in relation to the siting of plants which fall under the terms of the regulations and the subsequent granting of permission for additional developments. The planning authorities consult the HSA, which gives technical advice on land use policy. Circumstances may arise from time to time in which the implications of policy can, in the interests of health and safety, impose restrictions on usage of property. All plants affected by the directive are subject to the planning process, which in itself has an appeals process built in and is transparent. Likewise, property owners whose land use may be restricted or otherwise affected by a proposed plant are entitled to avail of the planning and appeal process.

However, under section 190 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides compensation shall not be payable in respect of the refusal of permission for a proposed development which, " (a) could, due to the risk of a major accident or if a major accident were to occur, lead to serious danger to human health or the environment, or (b) is in an area where it is necessary to limit the risk of there being any serious danger to human health or the environment". No changes relating to the matters referred to are proposed in the draft new regulations, which are due to be made shortly to replace the European Communities (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2000. The Planning and Development Act 2000 comes within the ambit of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.