Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As I have confirmed to the Deputy in this house on 20/05/2020, Údarás na Gaeltachta has confirmed that the sale of the building to which the Deputy refers, a 12,000 square metre factory, vacant since 2004, is being progressed currently in accordance with the appropriate procedures as laid down for Údarás na Gaeltachta for the disposal of property and lands in its ownership.

The sale of this disused building was approved by the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in September 2019 as part of a job creation package approved for a long-standing locally owned and managed company. This development is integral to the future growth of the company in question which employs a significant number of people on Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair.

The expansion of the company will facilitate its ability to secure new contracts, expand the workforce and produce new products in Gaoth Dobhair. The building will need to be renovated as well as being extended to allow for the installation of the appropriate machinery as and when required and the company itself will complete and finance those works.

The sale of enterprise property directly to client companies with an appropriate business model, resources, structure and profile is a long-established successful method by Údarás na Gaeltachta and other development organisations to ensure longevity, sustainability and investment by companies in creating employment in rural Gaeltacht areas.

As per the appropriate procedure, two independent valuations were received in order to ascertain the  market value of the building at the time of the sale. The higher of these valuations was selected and approved by the Board of Údarás as the minimum sale price for the property, subject to the property being used for enterprise and job creation

The  sale price is commercially sensitive to the company in question and, therefore,  Údarás na Gaeltachta is legally bound not to disclose same at this time.

No other company had expressed an interest in purchasing part or all of the site to which the Deputy refers from Údarás na Gaeltachta, despite ongoing proactive efforts by Údarás over many years to obtain a viable job creating project and accompanying investment. 

Given that the site has lain dormant since 2004, the sale and expansion is a positive development for the Gaoth Dobhair area, which will see cutting edge research, development and innovation, and manufacturing taking place in this factory once again and most importantly, a proposed workforce in excess of 160 in total.

As I stated in this house previously, at a time of global uncertainty, it is encouraging to see companies that are willing to innovate, develop and especially invest in their own local areas and to look to create new employment opportunities.