4. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide details of the employment opportunities created by his Department since 2024 in Cork South-West, specifically in the areas of Beara, Mizen Head, Sheep’s Head, Bandon, Dunmanway, Skibbereen, Drimoleague, Clonakilty, and Kinsale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7073/25]

Sentiment score: 0.19

Will the Minister of State provide detailed information on the employment opportunities created by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment since 2024 in Cork South-West, specifically in areas such as the Beara Peninsula, Mizen Head Peninsula, Sheep's Head Peninsula and areas from Inishannon to Bantry? It is important that we create and are seen to be creating good jobs there for the people of that constituency.

Sentiment score: 0.67

I thank the Minister of State. I failed to welcome her to her new role when I spoke earlier. I wish her the very best of luck going forward. I was very specific in my question. I have raised the same question with the Minister of State's predecessor in the Dáil before, and I received a lot of answers but they were not specific to these places. I am very concerned, especially living on a peninsula myself, about the peninsulas and where the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is focusing on in areas such as the Beara Peninsula, Mizen Head and Sheep's Head. How is the Department creating jobs and what kind of jobs is it creating? These areas have had a downturn in agriculture because farming is going through a struggle at present. Fishing has been decimated in those peninsulas. I see a wave of cars leaving west Cork every morning going to Cork city. There is nothing wrong with jobs in Cork city and I wish the very best of luck to everyone, but as the Minister of State said, 50 jobs were created in one area recently and there are another 115 following an investment of $126 million. What part of Cork were those jobs specifically assigned to?

Sentiment score: 0.19

I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could come back on that. Obviously employment is good no matter where it is. I know there are massive employers in Cork city such as Apple, the pharmaceutical companies and others. They are second to none and are to be always welcomed and secured. Many people are spending two hours in a car going up to Cork every morning to work and coming back to west Cork because there are no major employment opportunities in those areas. I picked Beara, Sheep's Head and Mizen Head, but I also have concerns about Drimoleague, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Bantry and Bandon. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State's reply were more specific as to where the jobs are being created because it looks as if the Department is very much concentrating on the city, which is hugely important, but has forgotten there is an area two hours west of Cork city where people would like job opportunities. There could be if there were just a little bit of vision and a common-sense approach.

Sentiment score: 0.29