PENROSE KEEPS PRESSURE ON IDA TO BRING JOBS TO WESTMEATH

Willie Penrose, Labour TD for Longford-Westmeath has put more pressure on the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the IDA to outline how they plan to foster employment in Mullingar following the closure of Imperial Tobacco.

“In light of Imperial Tobacco closing down, it is vital that we see high quality jobs brought to Mullingar. 

“The Government has their own plans to create 135,000 jobs outside of Dublin by 2020 but the people of the Midlands cannot wait any longer. We need to see proper efforts made to bring jobs to the area.

“The IDA have confirmed to me that they are actively engaging with the new owners of the Imeprial Tobacco facility. The IDA are also engaging with their existing clients in the area encouraging them to expand and grow.

“In Mullingar, we have an excellent educated and mobile workforce, many of whom travel eastwards every morning to their place of employment. We have an excellent primary and secondary road network, a decent rail transport to Dublin, great primary and secondary educational facilities and a strong link to Athlone Institute of Technology, which is 30 minutes away, and Maynooth University, which is also 30 minutes away to the east. We also have wonderful leisure and recreational facilities and an open invitation from the local authority, chamber of commerce, trade unions and business interests.

“I will continue to make contact with the IDA so to ensure that Mullingar is afforded the level of priority it deserves from the IDA and other state agencies.”