IDA jobs and land in Laois
Deputy Stanley said Laois has been neglected by IDA Ireland despite major road links and asked that unused IDA land near Portlaoise be developed. The Tánaiste said he would raise the issue with the Minister, noting support for balanced regional development and asking for a direct follow-up.
The programme for Government contains a commitment for the creation of more jobs in the regions outside Dublin. However, IDA Ireland and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment seem to have a blind spot when it comes to County Laois. Despite Portlaoise and Laois being located on the crossroads of Ireland at the N7, N8, N77, N80, the performance of IDA Ireland and the Department in Laois is dismal. There are just 156 IDA Ireland-backed jobs in the county. More than 12,000 workers commute out of the county every morning. Some have to drive long distances and can find themselves sitting in traffic for two hours. The Leprino cheese factory, which has only been there for three years, is due to close very shortly, with the loss of 132 jobs. I raise this because we do not seem to have got anywhere with it over the years. People have been raising it for three decades. The figures say that 156 jobs have been created but that 132 are going. What is being done by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to get replacement industries for the Leprino plant?
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What is being done to develop the 60-plus acres owned by IDA Ireland outside Portlaoise-----
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-----and get industry onto those sites? Will the Tánaiste take this matter up with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and his Department and ask them to urge IDA Ireland to act quickly in respect of this matter?
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The short answer is that I will speak to my colleague the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, in relation to this. Thankfully, we live in a country that has had full employment for 16 consecutive quarters, but we are not in any way complacent in saying that. We are seeing a churn, for want of a better phrase, in the jobs market. There is no room for complacency. That is why IDA Ireland, which had its most successful year ever last year, and Enterprise Ireland are receiving a lot of Government support.
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On the Deputy's point about the need to have a plan for replacement jobs in Laois and the use of IDA Ireland land is a fair on, as is that which he makes around people's quality of life and traffic congestion. We believe passionately in balanced regional development. On foot of the Deputy raising this matter today, I will ask the Minister to speak to IDA Ireland and to come back to him directly.