Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 49: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the concerns being expressed in relation to the growing jobless figures recorded at the Tallaght social welfare office, Dublin and the consequent need for job creation initiatives in the area; her proposals to deal with this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18359/09]

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 the Tallaght area also. This situation is unwelcome and is an indication of the challenges that are now facing the labour market and the economy as a whole.

Employment/unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey published by the CSO. It does not provide data on particular counties but only on Regions. Employment in the Dublin Region, which includes Tallaght, has dropped by 19,800 and unemployment has increased by 15,000 in the year to Quarter 4 (September - November 2008), the latest period for which data is available. The number of persons signing on to the live register in the Tallaght region as at end April, 2009 stands at 8,787, an increase of 97% over the last twelve months.

The Live Register, however, is not a measure of unemployment as it includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers who might be signing on from time to time. In response to the challenge of increasing unemployment my Department through FÁS, the National Training and Employment Authority, continues to prioritise the need to assist and up-skill those who have become unemployed as a result of the present downturn in the economy. We have taken a range of steps to expand services to the unemployed. In addition to the 51,000 FÁS training places announced on the 5th February, 2009 a further 18,725 training places for the unemployed were provided in the supplementary Budget to bring the total number of training and work experience activation places funded by my Department in 2009 to approximately 128,000. Further measures announced in the supplementary budget are being prepared and details will be announced in the near future.

In terms of job creation, Enterprise Ireland's (EI) activity in Tallaght is focused on the creation of new jobs through supporting entrepreneurs in manufacturing and internationally traded services companies. Enterprise Ireland activity, in terms of job creation, is focused on the retention and creation of new jobs in existing companies, and the creation of new jobs by supporting entrepreneurs to set up High Potential Start-Up Companies. The agency works closely with the Tallaght Institute of Technology in encouraging the commercialisation of research and has approved financial support of over €2.6m to the Institute for the development and management of a Campus based Incubation Centre. This centre provides entrepreneurs with affordable space in an environment which provides support to them to research their new ideas and to afford them the opportunity to bring about new indigenous businesses.

The agency has also approved support of €1.225m for a Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Technology Tallaght, the focus of which is Microsensors for Clinical Analysis. Since the beginning of 2005 to date, Enterprise Ireland approved support in excess of €21m and made payments of over €12.3m to companies in South County Dublin to enhance their capacity, capability and performance.

Over the past 5 years, IDA Ireland's focused strategy for South Dublin has been to promote the county as part of an integrated East Region with access to a population base of 1.5 million people. Tallaght and South County Dublin are well equipped to compete with other areas for potential foreign direct investment, with superb infrastructural facilities at Citywest and Grange Castle, and a third level Institute of Technology at Tallaght. Both of these business parks are easily accessible to the population of Tallaght and the environs.

In Grange Castle, the pharmaceutical company Wyeth Biopharma has established the world's largest biopharma campus facility investing €1.8 billion and currently employs approximately 1,300 highly skilled people. Planning Permission has also been approved for an Advance Integrated Circuit Manufacturing and Research facility at Grange Castle - this is the largest planning application to date in the State. This will be an invaluable tool for the future marketing of Grange Castle as a potential source of high quality and large-scale employment for the population of the environs, including Tallaght. Grange Castle continues to attract high level FDI and the announcement in November 2008 that Microsoft Corporation has selected Grange Castle as the location for its new European data centre is a further indicator of Ireland's standing internationally as a global knowledge based economy. Microsoft plans to invest $500m in the construction of the data centre and will employ up to 75 people. IDA, in conjunction with South Dublin County Council, will continue to market the County to new and existing client companies in the future.

Finally, South Dublin County Enterprise Board (CEB) continues to provide support for small businesses with 10 employees or fewer in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level throughout South Dublin, which is inclusive of the Tallaght area. Business growth and job creation are inherent considerations in the activities of the CEB. The CEB delivers a series of Programmes to underpin this role and they can provide both financial and non-financial assistance to a project promoter. During 2009 South Dublin CEB will continue to support enterprise development in the area through the provision of both direct and indirect assistance and will ensure that available funds are targeted to maximise entrepreneurial development at county level.