Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 216: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she has taken in conjunction with the Industrial Development Agency, Enterprise Ireland and FÁS, in relation to the Arklow and south Wicklow area, with up to 1500 jobs being lost in recent months, including the closure of a company (details supplied); if efforts have been made by the agencies to secure replacement jobs for this area, or in the alternative to set up a task force comprised of the relevant agencies to prioritise this area for employment initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2248/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The State development agencies under the remit of my Department have adopted a coordinated approach in response to job losses in Arklow and South Wicklow in recent times. The agencies are working together to assist workers transition to new employment, and to promote and facilitate enterprise in the region, including the promotion of Arklow as a location for foreign direct investment. IDA Ireland is actively working with Arklow Chamber of Commerce and Wicklow County Council and the management of Allergan to promote Arklow as a location for a replacement industry or alternative project. IDA has met management of the company to get a profile of the workforce and has conducted a detailed audit of the facilities. IDA also met with the Arklow Chamber of Commerce and Wicklow County Council to profile the strengths and attractions of the location and to put a value proposition in place to allow IDA's sectoral and overseas divisions to effectively market the location abroad. In light of the existing experienced workforce, the location and facilities available, IDA intends to target Medical Technologies and Business Services operations for the town.

IDA Ireland continues to promote Arklow and County Wicklow for new business and has participated in a number of Wicklow Business Showcase seminars over the last year to attract new business to the county. Servier has been implementing the expansion that they announced in 2006 to create 112 new jobs in Arklow, and have been recruiting for some of these positions over the last year. Sigma-Aldrich Corporation announced in April 2008 its plans to invest US$2 million to construct a new warehouse and to centralise all customer support activities for its Ireland business at the company's Arklow site. A number of other companies in or adjacent to County Wicklow have expanded rapidly with IDA assistance, including Takeda in Bray now employing 400 plus, and ServiceSource and Covidien in Cherrywood. Enterprise Ireland continues to work with its sister development agency IDA Ireland, FÁS, and the County Development boards in a coordinated approach to job losses in recent times. This approach is directed at assisting any relevant employees affected and has two objectives: To enhance and facilitate the future employment prospects of the workforce and; to identify and support any individual who wishes to start their own business.

Enterprise Ireland exhibited at both the Wicklow Showcase event in November 2008 and the joint agencies open day business start-up advisory sessions for Allergan staff held over two afternoons on December 16th and 17th 2008, at the Arklow Enterprise Centre. The role of FÁS, the State training agency, is particularly important in assisting those who are being made redundant. FÁS is providing advice and training opportunities for those losing their jobs. A total of 61 staff from Allergen registered with FÁS over the past year, and a number of them were funded to take up training of one sort or another. I am confident that the strategies and policies being pursued by the State development agencies and other interested parties together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development will continue to bear fruit in terms of investment and employment for County Wicklow.