Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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332. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps that have been taken to secure either domestic or international investor interest in a soon to be vacated company's factory site (details supplied) at Carrickmacross in County Monaghan; the prospects for early re-employment for the soon to be let go 140 workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18381/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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This closure, which has now been postponed until 29th May, is very much regretted. I travelled to Carrickmacross to discuss the issue with some of the workforce there after the announcement, and I am very conscious of the need to pursue replacement jobs in the area.

I established an interagency group to co-ordinate the response from the state in terms of awareness of entitlements and opportunities for the affected staff of the company and to pursue a replacement investor. This group is chaired by Enterprise Ireland and includes representatives from IDA Ireland, the Local Enterprise Office, the Education and Training Boards from Cavan/Monaghan and Louth/Meath, and the Department of Social Protection.

The Department of Social Protection has been very active in terms of meeting the staff in relation to that Department’s services, and the Educational Training Board are pursuing relevant courses and training.

I have asked the Enterprise Agencies to redouble their efforts to drive job creation and utilise the skillset of the employees affected by this announcement, to find alternative employment. I can assure you that IDA will continue to highlight the strengths of the Border and North East regions to potential investors, and Enterprise Ireland will continue to seek to develop expansion projects by Irish companies in the area. However no specific project has yet emerged.

The existing factory is not owned by the company, but has been leased from a private owner. IDA is in discussions with relevant parties to explore what will be involved in ensuring that the facility can be available for a new investor.

Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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333. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will establish a multiple-agency task force, with responsibility to respond to recently announced job losses in County Sligo, by designing and implementing immediate supports for the retention and creation of jobs in the Sligo area. [18390/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Any job losses are very regrettable and our Development Agencies ensure that in such cases replacement projects are pursued vigorously. Despite some specific company losses in the Sligo area in the recent past, the overall unemployment trend in the region has improved significantly over the last few years. Unemployment in the Border Region, although still too high, stood at 10% the end of Q4 2014 (down from a high of 17.7% in Q3 2012), with the creation of an additional 11,200 jobs in the region since the publication of the first Action Plan for Jobs in Q1 2012. I consider that it is not practicable or effective to establish jobs task forces or specific jobs plans around the country as a general mechanism to address unemployment. I believe that to embark on such a course would involve diverting the various State Agencies from their on-going efforts to create jobs. A considerable administrative commitment is involved in servicing any additional committees and groups which may be set up and, given the constrained staff resources facing all public sector bodies at present, I am strongly of the opinion that establishing such additional groups, except in very exceptional circumstances, would not be in the best interests of using the State’s resources effectively.

The Government is strongly committed to Regional Development, and under the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs which I launched earlier this year, it is intended to develop and publish a suite of Regional Enterprise Strategies, based on consultation with key stakeholders at regional level and on the analysis of the strengths of each region. I attended the Border Regional Stakeholders forum in Sligo on 26th of March. The process will commence with the publication of strategies for the Midlands and South East regions. Preparation of similar strategies for the other regions is also under way and will be finalized over the next few months. All will include specific actions for all the enterprise development organisations and other public bodies active in each region, to promote enterprise growth and job creation. Of course specific issues and factors relevant to particular regions will be fully embraced in the new Strategies.

The regional Action Plans will be supported by investment of up to €250 million over the next 5 years, including €150 million for a property investment programme by IDA Ireland, and up to €100 million for three separate competitive calls which will be administered through Enterprise Ireland. These competitive calls will support collaborative initiatives to boost enterprise growth and job creation in the regions. Detail of the competitive calls will be announced shortly.

As part of its property programme, IDA has committed to investing in new property solutions. Sligo, Tralee and Castlebar are to the forefront of the 2015 investment programme with other locations scheduled to follow in subsequent years.