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Monday, 14th October 2024

Jobs and investment task force needed for Drogheda – Nash

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Labour Deputy Ged Nash walking with BD workers earlier this month as they protest against the forthcoming closure of the factory after 60 years in Drogheda.

Local Labour TD Ged Nash says the next government must set up specific high-level Task Force on Jobs and Investment in the Drogheda area.

Deputy Nash told Drogheda Life that when he first put the idea of a task force for Drogheda to the Taoiseach in the Dail after the recent BD announcement, his response was telling.

“The Taoiseach’s answer on decent jobs for the people of Drogheda is ‘we’re bringing the Dart.’ Talk about missing the point!” he said.

“Unsustainable levels of commuting, coupled with weak rights for those whose work base is elsewhere but who wish to work remotely, is impacting on our social fabric and town centre, especially during the week” Nash continued.

“The bitter blow that is the impending closure of BD in Drogheda illustrates the need to establish a jobs and investment task force for the town.

“The IDA and Enterprise Ireland need to be focussed on attracting good jobs to the town and a jobs task force would concentrate the minds of those who have dropped the ball in terms of establishing stable, employment-generating industries to Drogheda.

“We also need to keep working with the brilliant team at The Mill to ensure that their ambitions for growth and development will be supported.

“A recent Parliamentary Question I tabled revealed that Drogheda is losing out on IDA investment, relative to its neighbours. Even within our own county, Drogheda’s fate in attracting jobs is in stark contrast to that of Dundalk.

“Dundalk has 24 IDA-backed industries, generating up to 3,500 jobs. In stark contrast, Drogheda has just nine IDA-backed industries, who employ less than 950 people. (The figures from IDA are provided in ranges rather than precise numbers).

“Diving deeper into the figures, the picture in Drogheda is even more worrying with most of these nine industries (soon to be eight) employing fewer than 50 people, leaving the town very vulnerable if just a couple of large companies decide to go elsewhere, as has happened with the decision by BD.

“The job the IDA needs to do for Drogheda is enormous and a special jobs task force of the town will help. What will also help is a Drogheda TD to make that case in government after the upcoming general election.

“The new IDA units in the Mell area will provide an opportunity for job growth in Drogheda and help 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.

“These opportunities and more need to be properly exploited by the IDA, and Enterprise Ireland, with the help of a dedicated jobs task force for Drogheda.”

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