Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the efforts being made to secure replacement permanent work for the 140 workers who lost their jobs due to the closure of the BOSE plant in Carrickmacross in County Monaghan; the status of the efforts in this regard of his Department and the State agencies; his assessment of the prospect of an early resumption of manufacturing activity at the now idle site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6483/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Following the announcement of the closure of the BOSE factory, I established an inter-agency coordination group, chaired by Enterprise Ireland. IDA Ireland is a member of the group along with Monaghan County Council, the Local Enterprise Office, Department of Social Protection and the Education and Training Boards of Cavan/Monaghan and Louth/Meath. The inter-agency group was involved in developing a demographic and skills profile of former staff at the BOSE facility. This was completed by IDA Ireland in partnership with BOSE HR locally. This profile is central to IDA Ireland’s marketing of the location.

Although the facility was built by IDA Ireland, it is now privately owned and leased by BOSE. The full details and commercials around the lease were worked through between the company and IDA Ireland to enable marketing of the facility.

IDA Ireland will continue to market Monaghan and the BOSE facility to relevant FDI opportunities, enquiries and potential investors through the IDA network. Enterprise Ireland will market the facility to its client base. Finding a replacement industry for Carrickmacross remains a high priority.

IDA Ireland continues to meet with these other relevant agencies in relation to job creation in Monaghan. On 1 March, 2016, IDA Ireland had a meeting with Monaghan County Council’s Director of Services and the Monaghan Local Enterprise Office to discuss various aspects of enterprise development in the county, including Carrickmacross. However, there is no further update on the BOSE facility in terms of overseas queries or site visits at this time.