Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 175: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if special attention will be given to the job creation needs of Tallaght, Dublin 24, where there has been an increase in unemployment figures over the past year; her views on the fact that Tallaght has a large youth population and has also lost important jobs over the past 12 months; the contacts she has made in that regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5619/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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FÁS is helping unemployed people in Tallaght, to consider their options and develop a meaningful career plan to take account of the opportunities in the current labour market and prepare themselves for the economic upturn when it comes. Important linkages are being maintained with employers in the Tallaght area to ensure that FÁS receives the maximum number of vacancies.

FÁS has reviewed many of its courses and is, consequently, providing additional training courses in its Training Centres to help people acquire new skills and be better equipped for the challenges that lie ahead. Where the training needs of the client cannot be met by FÁS directly or any other state provider, within a reasonable timeframe or at a location convenient to the jobseeker, then the training may be funded under the Technical Employment Support Grant.

In 2009 FÁS Employment Services also hosted a pilot programme to support the many Managers and Executives in Tallaght who have been made redundant. This Executive Networking and Support Programme was very successful with a 45% placement rate. FÁS Employment Services is also promoting the Work Placement Programme in the area, with many employers availing of this programme. The Work Placement Programme assists unemployed people, including graduates, to gain valuable work experience and to establish or maintain links to the labour market in order avail of new job opportunities when they arise.

While activation measures will assist individuals in securing employment and enhancing their skills, the key to addressing our unemployment problem is the creation of more jobs. My Department remains strongly focussed on supporting and promoting enterprise development to create new jobs. In this regard the Enterprise Development Agencies of my Department, including IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, are working to ensure that we continue to grow the economy and jobs even in the current challenging climate.

Focusing on the youth population of Tallaght and their future education and employment opportunities, Enterprise Ireland works closely with the Institute of Technology. In June 2001 approved funding of €2.54m towards a new Campus Innovation Centre. The College has particular strengths in Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Pharmaceuticals and Computing. In addition a Pharma Centre, costing in excess of €4m has been constructed on the campus. This is a key piece of infrastructure, which will feed into the major Biotechnology Developments of Pfizer Inc, formerly Wyeth, in Grange Castle Business Park.

Grange Castle Business Park, which lies adjacent to Clondalkin, is strategically located in the evolving technology crescent situated along the M50 orbital motorway. This Park is being developed by South Dublin County Council as a world class business park. Pfizer Inc is located there and has the world's largest integrated biotechnology facility on the site. It is envisaged that Grange Castle Business Park will attract a cluster of pharmaceutical and biotechnology developments at the leading edge of technology. With a clustering of IT projects taking place at the National Digital Park, the South Dublin could become home to a number of projects at the top end of the value chain, providing employment for highly trained and highly qualified workers. TAKEDA, a pharmaceutical company from Japan, has also located there and employs c.70 people as has Microsoft and Cuisine de France. 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.

A Centre of Excellence in Applied Research — Micro Sensors for Clinical Analysis has also been established in the Institute of Technology. This project involves development and fabrication of micro sensor devices for clinical analysis at 'point-of-care'. This applied research base will act as a technological resource for local and national industry and will develop high-level multi-disciplinary research collaboration between ITT Dublin and the medical device/diagnostic industry. The project, which will run from 2006 to 2011, was approved €1,225,000 in support under the EI Applied Research Enhancement Programme.

The development of the Grangecastle Business Park by the Council and IDA Ireland, combined with the development of the City West Business Park (which includes the National Digital Park) will ensure that this area of South Dublin is an attractive location for high technology state of the art projects, both overseas and indigenous. IDA, in conjunction with South Dublin County Council, continues to market the County to new and existing client companies in the future. Tallaght and South County Dublin are well equipped to compete with other areas for potential foreign direct investment. There are superb infrastructural facilities at Citywest and Grange Castle and educational opportunities at the Institute of Technology tailored to meet future employment opportunities in the area. This combination of factors provides high quality, future employment opportunities for a vibrant young population.