Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cheann Comhairle deis a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a thógáil ar an athló tráthnóna - an fógra a thug Largo Foods i nGaeltacht Dhún na nGall, i bparóiste Ghaoth Dobhair, i bpáirc ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair, go mbeidh sé ag ligint 170 oibrí chun bealaigh go luath an mhí seo chugainn.

Is mór an buille é sin do cheantar Gaeltachta cosúil le Gaoth Dobhair go bhfuil 170 ag cailleadh a gcuid post. Tá an tionscal seo lonnaithe i nGaoth Dobhair le beaganch 30 bliain. Tá fostaíocht iontach curtha ar fáil aige i rith an ama sin ag déanamh táirgí bia ar nós sceallóga crisps agus mar sin de. Tá taithí ag na hoibrithe ar an tionscal sin agus bhí rudaí ag dul ar aghaidh go maith.

Anois, áfach, tá athstructúrúá dhéanamh ar an chomhlacht seo agus dá bharr sin, tá 170 á ligint chun bealaigh. Daoine iad seo atá ina gcinn teaghlaigh, an t-aon duine b'fhéidir atá ag obair sa teach agus bíonn freagrachtaí móra orthu, morgáistí agus mar sin, cionn is go bhfuil a gclann ag dul le hoideachas.

Mar sin féin is buille seo don eastát freisin. Seo an tionscal is mó agus is faide lonnaithe ar an eastát ansin sa pháirc ghnó i nGaoth Dobhair. Tuigim nach bhfuil an tAire féin anseo ach ba mhaith liom go gcuirfeadh an tAire Stáit in iúl don Aire, agus go gcuirfeadh seisean in iúl d'Údarás na Gaeltachta go mbeadh sé iontach tábhachtach go ndéanfaí gach iarracht cuid de na poist seo a choinneáil agus a chosaint. I gceantar beag Gaeltacht tá 170 post cosúil le 2,000 anseo i mBaile Átha Cliath nó sna bailte móra eile. Mar sin, is buille mór é seo don tionscal agus don eacnamaíocht sa cheantar. Cuirfidh sé isteach ar na siopaí, ar na tábhairní, ar na tithe ósta agus ar sheirbhísí de gach cineál. Mar sin, tá mé ag fiafraí den Aire agus den údarás gach dícheall a dhéanamh oiread agus is féidir chun na poist seo a chaomhnú.

In one form or another, Largo Foods has been operating in Gaoth Dobhair for over 30 years. During the difficult times, between 2000 and 2005, when 900 jobs were lost on the Gaoth Dobhair industrial estate, Largo Foods - or, more correctly, its predecessor, Smailc Bhia - provided alternative employment for many of those who were made redundant. One could say that it was the anchor employer on the estate.

For the 170 people being made redundant now, many of whom are their families' sole bread winners and who have financial responsibilities and commitments, there is, unfortunately, no such alternative employment available. The company maintains that the redundancies are necessary as a result of the need to restructure the industry. When the restructuring is complete, I hope the company will adopt a forward-looking and constructive plan for the plant in Gaoth Dobhair. The facilities there are first class, the workers are highly motivated and skilled, there is a demand for the product and there is no economic reason why the facility in Gaoth Dobhair should not have a viable future.

I ask the Minister to urge the relevant agencies, particularly Údarás na Gaeltachta, to ensure that the current level of employment - that is, post redundancy - will be maintained and that every effort will be made to increase the level of employment when the restructuring is completed. There will be no future for those who will be made redundant, particularly in light of the current economic crisis that obtains in Ireland. The only alternatives for them are the dole queue or emigration. However, these alternatives are unacceptable.

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