Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 98: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the contacts she has with the industrial development agencies with a view to securing alternative employment for the 1,800 workers who, it was announced in January 2009, are to lose their jobs at a plant (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19833/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Following the January announcement by Dell, I established the Mid West Task Force, Chaired by Mr Denis Brosnan. The role of the Task Force, amongst others, is to assess the particular impact on the wider regional economy of the decision to close certain parts of the Dell plant in Limerick and associated job losses in other companies and also to carry out an analysis of the potential impact of the current economic downturn on the Mid-West Region. As part of its analysis, the task force is meeting with and obtaining inputs from all the relevant State Development Agencies, including the IDA. I have asked the Task Force to provide me with an interim report on their findings and this is likely to be completed shortly.

It is also important to point out that IDA has been working diligently to secure new investments for the Region and over the last year companies like Vistakon, Zimmer, Cook, DTS and Microsemi have had announcements in the Region. The Agency currently has a pipeline of projects under consideration. These potential investments are being pursued and IDA Ireland will do everything possible to speed up the investment decisions in Limerick's favour.