2026-04-28

129. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the initiatives he or his Department or associated State agencies have taken to encourage prospective new owners to establish a business at the former factory (details supplied) at Carrickmacross; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30067/26]

The Bose factory was a landmark in the region of Carrickmacross for many years. In 2015, the factory closed and essentially has remained closed ever since because despite the huge fanfare from a Government colleague of the Minister’s, a then Minister, about 60 jobs coming, they never actually came. In recent months, we have been told that the factory is in fact up for sale. I seek an update on the Minister’s efforts to secure alternative employment for that site.

I thank the Deputy for his very important question. Enterprise Ireland supported the owners of the factory in Carrickmacross over a number of years as they sought to establish themselves as an infant formula and nutrition providers manufacturer. In March 2025, the company informed Enterprise Ireland that the business was no longer viable in Ireland due to inflationary pressures and market conditions. The company had intended to produce infant formula for the Chinese market. A number of factors have impacted on demand for imported formula in China, including a switch away from imported products and rapid growth in locally produced products. There has also been a significant decline in the Chinese birth rate over the past decade. As a result, the owners of the factory took the decision to sell the plant in Carrickmacross and appointed an Irish agent to support the sale process. They are actively seeking interest from potential purchasers of the facility and discussions have taken place with a number of interested parties. This process is ongoing and Enterprise Ireland continues to support the company by facilitating introductions to potential buyers where appropriate. Active promotion of the facility is being undertaken and further expressions of interest are being sought by the company both in Ireland and internationally. The Department keeps in regular contact with Enterprise Ireland about that important site. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth, is very much linked in with it as well. Enterprise Ireland will continue to liaise with the agent in supporting the promotion of the facility to the relevant potential purchasers as a matter of priority. My Department remains committed to driving balanced regional development, including in the north east. Enterprise Ireland supported 84 companies in Monaghan and 66 companies in Cavan in 2025. These companies employ more than 14,000 people. The north-east region enterprise plan is also focused on delivering a range of collaborative initiatives to strengthen the enterprise environment in the region.

The building has essentially lain idle for 11 years. I mentioned it was 2019 when we had the fanfare and the Minister’s party taking credit, make no mistake about it, for jobs brought by Fine Gael to Carrickmacross. The jobs never materialised. The question that needs to be answered is whether the Minister will take a hands-on approach. We met Enterprise Ireland. In fairness to the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, she organised a briefing for local Oireachtas Members when the Minister, Deputy Burke, refused to answer my repeated requests for such a meeting. This is a crucially important venue. It is a huge site and was historically, economically very significant and important for the south Monaghan region, and it has lain idle. It seems as though everything is being left in the hands of the owners of this building, who have left it vacant for the past six years. My request is that the Minister take a hands-on approach to ensure we restore viable, high-end employment to this site.

First, Enterprise Ireland is working hard. It is the Government agency responsible for procuring a good client for the site in partnership with the owners. As I pointed out, this is a company whose business model was no longer viable. It is not fictitious; it did happen. The prima facie evidence is there. The owners engaged with Enterprise Ireland and were hoping to employ 60 people. This is obviously a very strong asset and Enterprise Ireland will work closely with national and international clients and the IDA to try to see if we can get a tenant for it. There is significant employment in Cavan-Monaghan between Enterprise Ireland and the IDA with some very high-value jobs. In Cavan, as I put on the record, there are 66 Enterprise Ireland clients employing more than 6,000 people, as well as 1,557 people employed by clients related to the IDA. We have very strong jobs which our State agencies support in the area. We will do all we can in working with our agencies to get a good client for the site.

If a buyer is found and a new enterprise is established, the Minister will be there to cut the ribbon and get all the glory. That is the benefit of being in government. However, the job of being in government is that one does not get to hide behind a State agency when we are trying to secure reinvestment in an area that has been deprived because of the closure of a substantive factory. People refer to the prima facie evidence, good will and the rest of it. Has the Minister’s Department established whether the owners of the Newbaze site, previously the Bose factory, availed of the immigrant investment scheme, for example? There are huge question marks over what exactly happened on the site. Given the level of investment we were told was being made in the building, with virtually no economic activity as a result, it does not make sense.

I am not aware of whether the owners availed of the programme in question. Obviously, they availed of some significant Enterprise Ireland funding but the majority of that was repayable and has been repaid under the terms of the original agreement. Again, that demonstrates that a significant business was put forward at that juncture. As I said, there is significant employment in the region. There are, as we heard from Deputy Michael Murphy, many sites that require good clients in them but the Realpolitik is that we are operating in a very different economic environment, with so many geopolitical uncertainties, and the challenge to get capital investments is more difficult. Notwithstanding that, the economy is growing. We have seen all 13 economic sectors growing, no more so than in Cavan-Monaghan through the jobs being supported by our agencies. We will continue to do that and we will market the site aggressively, as we do by putting Irish enterprise first. Enterprise Ireland is ensuring that over 60% of jobs are located outside Dublin throughout the regions.

That means 40% of them are in Dublin.