Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 163: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans or investigative mechanisms that she is planning to address the major increase in unemployment figures in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46823/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Unemployment is increasing across the country due to the downturn in the economy and this has impacted on Kildare also. This situation is unwelcome and is an indication of the challenges that are now facing the labour market and that are within the economy as a whole.

The Government is taking specific measures to address this challenge and to ensure that job losses are minimised as much as possible and for as short a time as possible. The enterprise development agencies, along with FÁS the employment and training authority, are actively engaged in facilitating job opportunities in Kildare.

At present there are 25 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kildare employing approximately 10,356 people. Kildare has in recent years attracted some world class manufacturing companies including Wyeth Medica, Braun Oral B, Intel and Hewlett Packard. The Millennium Park in Naas has three modern 40,000 sq.ft. advance office buildings which are now available for marketing to inward investors, with all the necessary infrastructure, including ducting for broadband.

New indigenous companies have also been established and have created new employment in the county. The major €22.6 million expansion investment, supported by Enterprise Ireland, is underway and on target in Green Isle Foods. It is expected to lead to the creation of 130 new jobs in the area. A major investment of €28 million also is underway in Dawn Farm Foods Ltd. Overall 100 new jobs will be created.

FÁS is providing a number of training and employment programmes in Kildare and has, with the Local Employment Services, geared up its Employment Services further to provide increased capacity for increased referrals from the Live Register.