I will be raising this issue directly with the Taoiseach in the Dáil, today when I will be taking Leaders Questions on behalf of the Technical Group at 4.30 pm.
The closure of the C&C plant in Borrisoleigh with the loss of over 140 jobs is a huge blow to the town, the surrounding area and the county as a whole. Since the company took over Gleesons in Borrisoleigh and Bulmers in Clonmel, it has been cutting jobs and worsening terms and conditions of employment.
We can be sure that this shameful decision to close the Borrisoleigh plant is the prelude to further attacks on the conditions of employees. Now it says it will provide 80 extra jobs in Clonmel. We will believe it when and if we see it because of the track record of the company.
The workers and their trade union representatives must receive the fullest support from the government and its agencies in the face of this disgraceful development.
This blow is all the more devastating because of the dreadful unemployment rate in County Tipperary and the continuing neglect of the county by the government.
It follows the loss of jobs at Grants and Supervalue stores in Clonmel and Tipperary Town with attendant redundancies.
The rate of unemployment in County Tipperary is well above the national average. TIPPERARY is being forgotten despite the county being represented by a Labour Senior Minister and a Fine Gael Minister of State in government.
∗ There was a nett loss of 321 IDA jobs in the County over the 3 years to 21/12/2014-the first 3 years of this government’s term of office
∗ Not a single Tipperary town was included in government’s decision to provide 150 million for advance factories and offices despite my protests to Minister Bruton in the Dáil.
∗ Disposable income in Co Tipp is 5% below the national average and 16% below that in Dublin.
∗ Tipperary is not getting its fair share of new jobs- the vast majority of jobs are being created on the East Coast, Cork and Limerick.
I have repeatedly raised these matters in the Dáil and I have sought more spending on roads, house building and other infrastructure in the county.
There is an emergency employment crisis in Co Tipperary. Promises by government are not enough. Action by Government Now, before The Election, is Necessary.
Firstly, the Government must intervene to save the jobs in Borrisoleigh and instruct Enterprise Ireland accordingly
Secondly, the decision to exclude Tipperary including locations such as Borrisoleigh from the building of IDA Advance Factories and Offices must be reversed and the government strategy must be formally amended in this regard.
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
13/1/2016
From Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
NET LOSS of 321 IDA JOBS In Co Tipperary over last 3 years but County Excluded from Provision of New Advance Factories or Offices in Government Plan For JOBS
Minister Bruton Admitted to Deputy Seamus Healy in Dail to-day that only 2 (two) net jobs were provided by IDA in Co Tipperary in 2014!!!!! There were 64 new jobs and 62 job losses in the county. WORSE STILL-There was a net loss of 321 IDA Jobs in the county over the last 3 years. Yet the towns of County Tipperary were all omitted from the plan to spend 150 million euro on providing advance factories and offices to encourage inward investment in its plan for jobs issued yesterday!!!
Despite repeated questions from Deputy Healy in the Dáil on Thursday morning , Minister Bruton failed to give any assurance that any advance manufacturing and office facilities for incoming IDA supported industry would be built in any Co Tipperary location over the next five years.
- Deputy Healy pointed out that this would mean that the locations specified in the Ministers statement for such advance facilities (Sligo, Tralee, Castlebar, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow and Waterford) would have a huge advantage over Co Tipperary in the location of new jobs and would compound the discrimination
- against Co Tipperary over the past two years by IDA.
DEPUTY HEALY SAID: “The Minister’s announcement yesterday says nothing about towns in Tipperary. It talks about the investment over the coming years in building advance manufacturing and office facilities in Sligo, Tralee, Castlebar, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow and Waterford. There is no mention of any town in Tipperary or the building of advance factories or office facilities on any of the sites that are available throughout the county, in Tipperary town, Archerstown in Thurles, Lisboney in Nenagh, Benamore at Roscrea, Clonmel, Cashel or Carrick-on-Suir. It is quite obvious that there is no commitment to job creation for County Tipperary through IDA companies into the future.
I want to see the plan the Minister announced yesterday amended to include County Tipperary specifically.”
In 2013 while 202 new were created 521 IDA JOBS WERE LOST IN THE COUNTY
In 2014 only 16 new jobs were provided in North Tipp and 48 in South Tipp. There were 62 job losses giving a net gain of two
78% of all IDA Jobs were provided in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Extracts From Dáil Report Feb 12
Deputy Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that every county, including Tipperary, is included in our regional strategy. No one is excluded. The annual employment survey shows that 68 jobs were created and 77 were lost among IDA client companies in Tipperary in 2012. In 2013, 202 jobs were created while 521 were lost, and in 2014, 64 jobs were created while 62 were lost
Deputy Seamus Healy: The Minister’s announcement yesterday says nothing about towns in Tipperary. It talks about the investment over the coming years in building advance manufacturing and office facilities in Sligo, Tralee, Castlebar, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow and Waterford. There is no mention of any town in Tipperary or the building of advance factories or office facilities on any of the sites that are available throughout the county, in Carrick on Suir, Archerstown in Thurles, Lisboney in Nenagh, Benamore at Roscrea, Clonmel, Cashel or Tipperary Town. It is quite obvious that there is no commitment to job creation for County Tipperary through IDA companies into the future. I want to see the plan the Minister announced yesterday amended to include County Tipperary specifically.
Seamus Healy TD 097-2802199
- Co Tipperary has been omitted from IDA plans to provide advance factories in the Jobs plan announced by Government yesterday
- In his statement launching the plan the Minister said: “IDA Ireland will roll out a 5-year €150million capital investment programme to help attract more multinational jobs into each region. This programme will build on the recent investment by IDA in facilities in Athlone and Waterford, and will include investments over the coming years in building advance manufacturing and office facilities in Sligo, Tralee, Castlebar, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow and Waterford”
- (see full statement below)
- .
Statement by Minister Bruton on Jobs Plan
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Website
€250million plan to accelerate jobs growth in towns and villages across the country
Action Plan for Jobs – Regional aimed at encouraging communities and agencies in each region to work together to support job-creation
Minister Bruton – jobs are now growing in every region of the country, we need to accelerate this
The Government today announced details of its 5-year, €250million strategy aimed at accelerating the jobs recovery in every part of the country.
Action Plan for Jobs – Regional is based on the principle that the best way to support job-creation in towns and villages across the country is to support agencies and organisations within each region to build on the particular strengths and assets of their area and drive new job-creation strategies and projects.
The strategy will be based on the successful Action Plan for Jobs model of setting out lists of actions with timelines and responsibility allocated, and then monitoring implementation. The initiative is being led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD and will include three main elements:
- Each of the 8 regions (below) will develop its own Action Plan. Lead responsibility for coordinating the development of the plan will be assiged to an Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland official in each region. Stakeholders including enterprise agencies, educational institutions, local authorities, business and community groups will be responsible for working together to develop the Action Plan in each region. The first plan will be published in the coming weeks for the Midlands, with 6 plans published by July and all 8 in place by Q3
- To support and encourage regional stakeholders in working together, up to €100million in Enterprise Ireland funding will be made available over 5 years through a series of competitive calls. The first tranche of €50million will be made available from 2015. Funding under these programmes will be allocated on a competitive basis, with most funds awarded to regional projects offering the best prospects for job-creation
- IDA Ireland will roll out a 5-year €150million capital investment programme to help attract more multinational jobs into each region. This programme will build on the recent investment by IDA in facilities in Athlone and Waterford, and will include investments over the coming years in building advance manufacturing and office facilities in Sligo, Tralee, Castlebar, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Carlow and Waterford.
The Taoiseach said: “While recovery is under way, we cannot let it bypass families or communities on the basis of their location. Irish recovery is for all of Ireland. Today, the Government is publishing a €250 million plan to ensure that no part of Ireland is left behind in the jobs recovery. While every part of the country has seen an increase in jobs since 2012, we can and must do more. The Regional Action Plan for Jobs will maximise the individual strengths and assets of each region to support enterprise growth and job creation. The plan also includes up to €150 million for an IDA property investment programme to attract foreign direct investment into different parts of Ireland. All of these initiatives are part of the Government’s strategy to rebuild a strong, enterprise economy that can support full employment.”
The Tánaiste said: “Our economic recovery is well under way, with Dublin and other cities recording particularly strong growth in job creation. We want to spread that jobs recovery to every region and every community. Today we are committing to funding of €250 million to drive job creation across the different regions, through IDA and Enterprise Ireland. In addition, locally-driven Regional Enterprise strategies will help each region lean on its own unique strengths and assets to power regional economic growth, benefitting local businesses and families.”
Workers & Unemployed Action 