Mitchelstown industrial development
The IDA is acquiring a ten-acre Mitchelstown site to promote for suitable projects, but has no current plan for an advance factory. The Minister says existing vacant factory space should be used first, while agreeing to ask the IDA to consider the matter longer term.
asked the Minister for Industry and Energy if he will outline the IDA's proposals for Mitchelstown, County Cork, in view of their purchase of land there and having regard to their plan to promote industrial development.
Comment on this
I am informed by the Industrial Development Authority that a ten acre site suitable for industrial development has now been identified in Mitchelstown, County Cork. The IDA are at present in the process of acquiring this site. This site will be promoted for suitable industrial projects.
Comment on this
Has the Minister any plans for building an advance factory? That town is now suffering from the recession. Unemployment is rising. The town has always been well serviced by the dairying industry. It is a processing town. It is a one-horse town with overdependence on that kind of agricultural products.
Comment on this
There are no plans at the moment to build an advance factory on the site in question in Mitchelstown. As I said, the site has not been finally acquired. The Deputy will realise that in the north Cork area there is quite an amount of existing vacant factory space. It might not be the best use of resources to build more advance factories until we have made some progress towards filling the existing empty space. The money might be better spent in that direction. However, as a long-term project I will ask the IDA to look at this.
23.