Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the announcement of the loss of 350 jobs at a plant (details supplied) in County Waterford; the discussions she has had with the industrial development agencies with a view to securing replacement jobs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41078/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that in September 2009 Teva Pharmaceuticals announced they were closing down their solid dosage generics plant in Waterford over the next year, with the loss of 350 jobs. The company currently employs approximately 690 permanent and 74 temporary people.

The company informed IDA that the closure was due to competitive reasons and that the solid dosage part of the business was moving to a lower cost location. The inhaler part of the business, which employs approximately 340 people, will remain.

IDA Ireland continues to actively promote the Waterford region to overseas investors. Currently there are 31 IDA Ireland supported companies in Waterford City and County employing approximately 5,960 people. Clear evidence of a transition to more knowledge based and higher value activity is seen in the resilience of companies such as Bausch & Lomb, Honeywell, and GlaxoSmithKline, as well as newer additions to the county's portfolio, such as Citi Hedge Fund Services, Genzyme and Sun Life Financial.

Key interventions in support of attracting investment in recent years have been the development of the Waterford Business & Technology Park (28 hectares), the Dungarvan Business Park (additional 14 hectares developed) and a large scale 55 hectare Greenfield site in Belview, specifically targeted for larger scale utility intensive overseas investments. A further 20 hectare site (Knockhouse lands) adjacent to the Genzyme facility on the Kilmeaden road in Waterford City is also available for Greenfield investment.