§ Lord Eamesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans, if any, they have for the encouragement of employment in the Armagh City and county areas.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)The Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) works in partnership with Armagh Business Centre and Armagh Economic Development Group to promote employment in the Armagh area through a number of initiatives. These include the establishment of Armagh Environmental Accessories Company (a community based business enterprise targeting the long term unemployed), teleworking projects, and a pilot long term unemployed programme. LEDU also actively promotes its business start up schemes in the Armagh District Council area; in 1995/96 43 projects were supported promoting a total of 105 new jobs.
In addition Industrial Development Board and LEDU-supported companies, Cross Refrigeration, Redrock Engineering and Wilson Country Vegetables have recently announced encouraging expansions of their businesses leading to the promotion of new job opportunities. IDB also arranged visits to Armagh for two potential investors, both first time visits by US companies in 1996/97.
The Training and Employment Agency's local office in Armagh has placed over 600 people into employment in the period 1 April 1996 to date. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is in negotiation with a potential developer of a 52 bedroom three star hotel in the city of Armagh which could create in excess of 70 jobs. The Queen's University Outreach Centre at Armagh opened in September 1995 and will play its part in strengthening the social and economic life of the area.