Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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183. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department and the State’s industrial promotion agencies can implement specific initiatives to assist in the creation of employment in a town (details supplied) in view of the concerns of the local community in relation to the lack of job opportunities in that town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49649/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Since becoming Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have made jobs and enterprise in the regions one of my top priorities.

Co. Cavan and the town of Belturbet forms part of the North-East/North West Region Action Plan for Jobs, the aim of which is to achieve a 10-15 percent growth in employment in the region over the period 2015 to 2020, and to ensure that unemployment reduces to within at least one percentage point of the State average. This Plan includes a series of practical actions to support enterprise growth and job creation in the region, with clear timelines for delivery.

In the past few months alone, we’ve had hugely positive announcements in the Border Region both from indigenous and foreign owned companies including 80 jobs at Crust and Crumb in Cavan, 100 Jobs at Entekra in Monaghan, 400 jobs at WuXi Dundalk and 200 jobs at Combilift in Monaghan. Recruitment is also underway for 1,000 jobs at Center Parcs in Longford. I and the agencies of my Department will continue to work to ensure we can secure new investments and jobs for Cavan and the North-East region.

Overall, since commencing the Regional Action Plan for Jobs in 2015, good progress has been made on job creation in the Border Region, with 8,800 more people in employment in the region from Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q3 2018. The unemployment rate in the Border Region at Q3 2018 stands at 5.1 percent, down from 8.6 percent in Q1 2015. Encouragingly, the number of unemployed people in the Border Region dropped from 12,400 people to 9,500 people in the year to Q3 2018.

I have now asked each of the Regional Committees to refresh and refocus their plans out to 2020. In this new iteration, the North-East will have its own Plan (to cover Cavan, Monaghan and Louth) and the refreshed Plan will be focused around key opportunities and challenges facing the region, including Brexit.

I would also draw your attention to the Rural and Urban Regeneration and Development Funds under Project Ireland 2040, together worth €3 billion over the period to 2027. These have the potential to transform towns and rural areas all over Ireland.

Furthermore, the Framework for Town Centre Renewal is an important resource for local actors to put together a coherent plan for the future of their town. This was published by my Department as part of the work of the Retail Consultation Forum which I chair and supports the Government’s commitment to ensure that the benefits of sustainable economic recovery are felt in every part of Ireland.

These initiatives, along with the many supports available to businesses from my Department through Enterprise Ireland, IDA and the Local Enterprise Offices, are designed to maximise the creation of quality and sustainable employment in all regional rural and urban areas, including Belturbet and the wider region. This is a key priority for the Government.