Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I assume the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be interested in the news relating to Allergan as up to one third of the workforce live in north County Wexford, which is his constituency. It is a huge blow to north Wexford, as well as south Wicklow. My colleagues have spoken about the amount of work IDA Ireland has done in the Arklow area. However, it has done nothing in Gorey and the rest of north Wexford. There is a plot of land that has been left idle for many years and IDA Ireland does not equivocate about it. It will not be built upon and there will be no jobs there.

Why is Allergan moving? The answer, quite simply, is loss of competitiveness. If one speaks to anybody working there, one discovers that according to senior management in Allergan, it costs in the region of $30 per hour to employ a person in Ireland. In Costa Rica, where Allergan is moving, it costs in the region of $2 per hour. That is a multiple of 15. We face a huge problem in respect of our competitiveness in the future. We simply will not be able to keep going. Costs are spiralling, including local authority levies, rates, electricity prices and many other issues. This is just one of many and there will be many more.

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