John Kelly (Labour)
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During the good times, Dawn Meats was located in our town and the previous Government gave it a grant of €17 million to do up another plant in Ballyhaunis in County Mayo, and once it did that, it closed the factory in Ballaghaderreen. At the time, not much was said because those who had been in the factory could find work building houses. Everyone had another job to go to the following day. Now, however, there is outrage at the fact it was allowed to happen. The factory is still there. It could be used in a pilot scheme for quality Irish beef burgers if we had a Minister who was willing to propose these things to the likes of Dawn Meats. Those companies do not listen to the likes of me but they might listen to Ministers.