Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
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180. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 6 of 12 February 2015, the position regarding the location of a tenant for a former plant (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27672/15]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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181. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of a plant site (details supplied) in Cashel in County Tipperary, given that a to-let sign has been recently placed at the site in contradiction to the announcement in February 2015 that the site had been sold and a jobs announcement was imminent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27713/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.

I am informed by the IDA that the former Johnson and Johnson/Alza plant in Cashel is not in the ownership of IDA Ireland, it is privately owned. IDA understands that discussions between the company and a private investment entity are ongoing at present.

The agency has informed me that they are prepared to work with the new owner at the appropriate time and may be in a position to offer an appropriate financial package of grants based on a viable and sustainable business plan, as they did for J&J when they operated the facility, to assist in delivering high value sustainable jobs for Cashel.

The South East Region consists of 5 counties, Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary. There are 63 multinational companies based in the South East, employing 11,919 people. Generally the existing IDA client base has performed well and retained their presence in the South East. The main clusters that have emerged in the South East are in high value manufacturing (pharmaceutical, medical devices and engineering), and International Financial Services. There is also a strong cluster of indigenous companies operating in the business services sector including Eishtec (Waterford and Wexford); Rigney Dolphin (Waterford); VHI, Bank of Ireland and Taxback.com (Kilkenny) and Maven TM (Carlow). In addition, the region has a strong cluster of food and beverage companies such as Glanbia, Bulmers, Finches, Danone, Coca-Cola and Slaney Foods.

In the South East region as a whole, the unemployment rate has fallen from 17.4% in quarter 1 of 2011 to 12.8% at the end of quarter 1 2015, and while much more remains to be done, that is a considerable achievement in such a short time.

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. IDA’s property division is working to ensure each region has office and manufacturing buildings and Greenfield sites available to potential FDI and EI clients or other appropriate job creating enterprises and will work with local authorities and relevant infrastructure providers to influence the delivery of appropriate infrastructure to each region.

In February, the Government announced details of the Action Plan for Jobs: Regionalinitiative which seeks to capitalise on the strengths and assets of each region to maximise enterprise growth and job creation. The initiative will build on the success of the National Action Plan for Jobs, and encourage regional stakeholders - including enterprise agencies, Local Authorities, higher education institutions, other public bodies and the private sector - to come forward with innovative ideas to boost job creation in their own region.

In total, eight regional Action Plans will be developed and published this year. The first of these plans for the Midlands region covering counties Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath was launched on Monday 29th June. The regional Action Plan for the South East will be launched before the end of July.