Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I am grateful to have the opportunity to raise this issue on the Adjournment, though I am saddened by the fact that issues of this type are becoming more frequent in the Cork region and in the constituency that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, and I represent.

The Minister of State will be aware that Pfizer made an announcement today on employment at their facilities in Ireland. Some 65 jobs are to be lost at the end of the year in the company's facility in Ringaskiddy and attempts will be made to sell as going concerns the facilities at Loughbeg, also in my constituency, and at Little Island, in the Minister of State's constituency. It is indicated that if these sales do not go ahead the 400 or so remaining jobs will be lost as a result. Given Motorola's announcement last week, this is devastating economic news for the region and demands an appropriate and speedy response in the House. For this reason I am grateful that my request for an adjournment debate has been accepted and that the Minister of State will speak on behalf of the Government.

Perhaps the Minister of State will outline the Government's prior knowledge of these events. Workers within the company were nervous in recent months that a decision of this nature would be made. With this in mind perhaps the Minister of State will reveal to the House the extent to which State agencies were aware of these issues and were working in anticipation of such a decision. The Minister of State will be aware that there will be knock-on consequences for spin-off industries in the area.

The facility in Ringaskiddy, where the 65 jobs are to be lost, is likely to be a deserted industrial site because half of the plant was given to Archer Daniels Midland, ADM, which closed in recent years. There have been three announcements of major job losses in Ringaskiddy in recent years.

In his reply will the Minister of State point out alternative jobs that have been sourced, particularly in Amgen in his own constituency? Do announcements of the type made today, and that relating to Motorola last week, mean we should consider these replacement jobs rather than additional jobs in the Cork economy?

Will the Minister of State veer from his prepared statement to indicate the extent to which decisions of this type might be made by other companies? Are State agencies doing specific things to anticipate these decisions, as I mentioned regarding Motorola in an Adjournment debate last week, and try to see that they are not made in the first instance? There are fears, in light of today's announcement, that similar announcements will be made by other companies. Will the Minister of State state the specific things the Government can do in this regard?

I accept that this decision was made based on the internal workings of the company, the international climate surrounding pharmaceutical companies and the products produced by the company. Does the Minister of State accept that it behoves all public representatives in the area to work collectively towards addressing the concerns that have resulted from today's statement and put in place a proper economic environment where decisions like this will not be made?

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