Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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355. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in view of the recent developments at Elanco, County Sligo, and the announcement that JennaValve Incorporated will now no longer be developing a manufacturing location in County Sligo, as previously announced, his plans to ensure that County Sligo is able to attract more companies such as these to the county in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20705/15]

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. The unemployment rate for the Border Region peaked at 17.7% by Q3 2012, although still too high, stood at 10% at the end of Q4 2014, 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.

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 26 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 underway and will be finalised 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.

Earlier this year IDA Ireland launched its 5 year strategy for the period 2015 to 2019 which aims to create 80,000 new jobs in the economy over the period and increase investment into each region by between 30% and 40%. Additionally, a €150 million property investment plan, spread out over five years, will support the achievement of the organisation’s regional goals. The funding will be used to upgrade Ireland’s Business and Technology parks, make investments in a number of strategic utility-intensive sites and build new advanced technology buildings in a number of regional locations including Sligo in the North West. The design and planning process has commenced and full planning permission should be received in the second half of 2015 with construction on site to commence after this and the procurement stages.

As part of its property programme, IDA Ireland 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.