Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 195: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the additional resources she has committed to the mid-west region in response to the publication of the mid-west task force interim report of July 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30833/09]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 196: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will implement in full the key recommendations of the mid-west task force report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30834/09]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 197: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the mid-west task force interim report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30835/09]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 198: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, further to Parliamentary Question No. 41 of 2 July 2009, the progress on finalising the mid-west jobs task force; when the final report of the mid-west jobs task force will be completed and published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30880/09]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 222: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the timescale for the implementation of the report of the mid-west task force, which she established following the closure of a company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31785/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 to 198, inclusive, and 222 together.

In February, 2009, I established the Mid-West Task Force, chaired by Mr Denis Brosnan. I received the Task Force's interim Report in July, which contained a wide range of recommendations. As many of these come within the remit of fellow Government colleagues, I am currently in the process of seeking their views on the recommendations. In the meantime, of course, the Government has been responding to the economic downturn generally and has taken numerous initiatives, for example in relation to competitiveness, employment activation measures and the EU globalization fund in relation to individual companies, all of which have particularly benefited regions affected by job losses, including the Mid West region. As regards the final report of the Task Force, Mr. Brosnan indicated previously that this would take some 18 months from February, 2009.

Since the job losses announcement by Dell last January, all of the State development agencies, under the auspices of my Department, have come together and intensified their efforts and activities to support Dell and other workers being made redundant in the region. In the case of IDA, its strategy is to re-position the Mid-West as a centre for knowledge based industry, while focusing on marketing the Limerick/Shannon Gateway as a key location for investment, by building on the strengths already evident in the region. IDA also cooperates with the existing base of employers to encourage additional investment, particularly in activities such as R&D, customer support and back office functions. For example, 8 projects with a job potential of 1,073 were announced by multinational companies in the Mid West in 2008 and the beginning of 2009.

Shannon Development has intensified its engagement with its Shannon Free Zone clients and, along with the other State development agencies, is actively promoting a range of support measures announced by Government to assist companies who are experiencing trading difficulties at this time.

EI is working collaboratively with other state agencies in providing information and support to those facing redundancy. Túsnua was set up in late 2008 to alleviate the pending impact of lay-offs announced by a number of major employers in the Shannon region, which would take effect in early 2009. Túsnua has hosted a number of information events in the region with over 1,500 attendees to date. EI and the Limerick County Enterprise Board have run a series of workshops in house in Dell and are in constant contact with the company, so as to respond quickly to requests for programmes/meetings etc., with anyone wishing to start a business.

As at the end of August 2009, FÁS Employment Services has engaged on a one-to-one basis with a total of 900 staff that have exited the Dell facility through redundancy since May 2009. FÁS has provided intensive on site guidance and information service to the affected workers, with the primary aim of securing other employment, training or further education. In order to meet the substantial additional costs of the measures described above and other costs, my Department has submitted an application to the European Commission, under the EU Globalisation Fund, for support in the provision of labour market services to redundant workers from Dell and downstream companies.