Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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39. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he is taking to secure employment in Ballinasloe, County Galway, following a review of operations announced by a company (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15676/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I understand that staff at Aptar have been informed that the company is reviewing its operation at Ballinasloe. While no decision has yet been taken, I am informed that this review could lead to redundancies later this year. IDA Ireland are in close contact with the firm and are working to try avert, if possible, any potential job losses.

The uncertainty the situation has created is obviously an unwelcome development for the staff at the company and the region. My primary concern is for the workers and families who could be directly affected, many of whom have worked with the company for many years. In the regrettable event that redundancies do result, the Government will make every State support available to those impacted in order to help them transition and find new employment opportunities.

I am asking the West Regional Enterprise Committee, on which the key agencies and local authorities are represented, to consider all scenarios in relation to this company.

The situation at the company is particularly unfortunate given the wider economic difficulties that have been presented by COVID-19. My focus, since I became Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, has been on supporting businesses and protecting jobs. We have also been working hard on the forthcoming Jobs Stimulus Package, which will include far-reaching measures to set us on the right course for the next five years and beyond. Our aim is to create new employment opportunities all over the country, including in County Galway.

My Department and its Agencies have also been working hard, over a sustained period, to support job creation in the regions. This has included setting ambitious targets to ensure that employment and investment are distributed as evenly as possible across the country. Last year, there were over 21,000 people employed in IDA-supported firms in Galway. This is almost double the number employed in 2010 (11,235). While the period ahead may prove more challenging, an important objective will remain securing new foreign direct investment for the County.

Wider enterprise efforts are also underway to generate new growth in Galway and the surrounding area. For example, regional stakeholders – including Enterprise Ireland, the LEOs and the Higher and Further Education Institutes – are working together on implementation of the Regional Enterprise Plan for the West. This is aimed at strengthening the environment for job creation in the region and Ballinasloe will also benefit from this.

Another important initiative in this context is the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, through which over €16.7m in funding for the West – over three competitive calls – has been approved for collaborative regional enterprise projects. The region has had particular recent success, with five Galway-based projects being awarded a total of €9.6m. These projects are currently being developed and their completion will enhance the attractiveness of the area for further investment and job creation.