3,500 IDA-backed jobs in Dundalk compared to a maximum of 950 in Drogheda
Data obtained by Deputy Ged Nash this week indicates what he described as ‘a stark chasm’ between the number of IDA backed companies and investments in Dundalk, compared to Drogheda.
Key points identified in the information he received through Parliamentary Questions are that the 24 IDA backed firms in Dundalk employ some 3,500 people while in Drogheda the nine IDA backed companies provide a maximum of 950 jobs, with 170 of those under threat at BD.*
“These figures are stark” the Labour TD said; “We are still fighting for BD which represents by far the largest number of jobs in IDA backed enterprise in Drogheda but, if BD does in fact close with 170 people potentially losing good jobs, the picture for Drogheda will get ever more worrying.
“IDA present the employment figures in ranges and frequencies of 50. That means there is in truth fewer than 950 IDA jobs located in Drogheda (and likely to be fewer than 3,500 jobs in Dundalk) but even if we took employment numbers to be at the lower end of the published ranges, the wide variance in jobs numbers between Louth and Ireland’s two biggest towns shows there is still a very stark chasm.
“What cannot be denied is that there are 24 IDA supported investments in Dundalk and only nine in Drogheda, and the comparisons in terms of jobs numbers is enormous. Of the nine firms in Drogheda, six have jobs numbers below 50. To give some context WuXi Biologics in Dundalk alone provides 550-600 jobs.
“The job IDA has to do for Drogheda is enormous. What is needed is TDs at the top table of government after autumn’s election who know what is needed and who understand how to make the case for Drogheda to ensure balance in terms of investment in County Louth.
“The new IDA units in the Mell area provide an enormous opportunity for Drogheda and to ensure that skilled Drogheda based workers can get out of their cars, and off the trains and buses, and have the opportunity to work in our town.”
