Donegal Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Minister for Enterprise must start standing up for Donegal - Doherty

Published: 9 February, 2010

Donegal Senator Pearse Doherty has called on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan to start standing up for the people of Donegal and implement a jobs creation strategy.

He said:

"Figures released to Sinn Féin last week by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment have shown that of the 987 IDA supported companies in the state only 2 of these are in Donegal South West. What this means is that overall less than a quarter of a percent of all IDA supported companies are in the Minister's own constituency.

"I have also discovered that since the appointment of Mary Coughlan as Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment there has not been a single visit by the IDA to Donegal South West. Three site visits were made in 2004 and 2005, this was before Mary Coughlan became a Minister. I want to know why there has been no site visits made by the IDA to Donegal South West since Mary Coughlan became a minister.

"It is high time that the Minister started standing up for the people of her own constituency of Donegal South West. With unemployment levels reaching upwards of 21,000, the Minister needs to get real about unemployment in Donegal and immediately implement a jobs creation strategy.

"We can get Donegal back to work if the political will is there. Only last week I offered my own solutions in the form of a three point plan which would ensure that the people and Businesses of Donegal would have access to employments contracts from state funded projects.

"12 months ago my vision for Donegal was presented to government in my report "Awakening the West - Overcoming Social and Economic Inequality". In this report I spelt out the clear actions that were required to build a county that was vibrant, confident and reached its full potential.

"While I appreciate that the Minister has a state wide role, I would appeal to her to join with me in standing up for Donegal. To on occasion fight the corner of the communities that she was elected to represent, and to be part of delivering on my vision for Donegal."ENDS