Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I absolutely reject the Deputy's suggestion that I was not proactive in this regard. When it first came to my notice I made it my business to meet Mr. Quinn. Subsequent to understanding the difficulties that were to arise, I contacted Mr. Frank Ryan, chief executive, and Hugh Cooney, chairman, Enterprise Ireland. I asked them to make arrangements to meet immediately with Mr. Quinn in respect of the matter. From the very first day, Enterprise Ireland interacted with the Quinn Group. I made it my business to contact Arlene Foster and Reg Empey. I made it my business to instruct officials in the Department to check out the feasibility of an application under the North South INTERREG programme to establish whether we would qualify. I made it my business to ensure that when the redundancies were announced I remained at home rather than go on a trade mission to Australia and to be in Cavan to meet the administrators to hear what they had to say and to establish how we could facilitate what was taking place within the group.

At the moment the announcements were made all the agencies were in place and a one-stop shop was established in each of the locations. An opportunity for workers to look for advice and to seek support was provided. I secured the agreement of the Northern Ireland Minister for Education and Training to a €1 million activation fund for the areas affected by the redundancies. As the Deputy is well aware, discussions are still ongoing. Recently, the Taoiseach met not alone with the Cavan Chamber of Commerce, but with the elected representatives of the workers.

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