'Serious decisions' to be made where State agencies overlap

TÁNAISTE AND Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan said yesterday where there was overlap in State agencies, serious decisions by Government would have to be made.

She was speaking in Shannon where she announced 50 new jobs in two companies, Mentor Graphics Ireland Ltd (35 jobs) and PAFS Ireland Ltd (15 jobs) in the Shannon Free Zone, and to launch Shannon Development's report for 2007

Another 49 jobs for semiconductor designers and engineers have been created by US company ON Semiconductor of Phoenix, Arizona. The company, which designs and manufactures semiconductor components worldwide, plans to establish a new RD centre at Raheen Business Park in Limerick with the support of IDA Ireland.

Pointing out there has been "a huge increase in the number of agencies all over Government", Ms Coughlan said: "First of all, it is important to state that the Government is looking at efficiencies in the State agencies. Some are statutory, some are non-statutory. There is without a doubt an issue with people doing the same thing, and I think it is important to say that there is no paper, no proposal, no discussion and no decision."

The Tánaiste added: "This will not happen in the morning; there are many, many issues that will have to be considered if this is to happen. Where there is overlap, yes, serious decisions will have to be made, but at this moment in time there is no decision."

Asked if the future of Shannon Development was secure, she said: "I can't say for anything because we haven't made a decision, but it is inappropriate for people to assume decisions prior to them being made."

Ms Coughlan said Shannon Development had reduced payroll considerably and was self-financing. "That is important to say, and they have done a very good job here, and you see that from the 2007 annual report."

Shannon Development's accounts for last year show its operating deficit was €12 million on a turnover of €33 million.

The accounts show that the operating deficit was turned into a small surplus of €744,000 before tax through the profit of €11.8 million on sale of assets, a profit of €97,000 on sale of investments and €1.3 million in net interest.

One of the agency's main functions is promoting inward investment into the Shannon Free Zone, and the report shows there was a net loss of 131 jobs in the zone last year, dropping to 7,047 at the end of 2007.