Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The IDA has had a working relationship with Wyeth and Pfizer and their presence in this country has been substantial. The IDA will continue to work with those two companies at the time a takeover bid took place. During that takeover bid I happened to be in the United States where I had the opportunity of being facilitated by a meeting with the chief executive officer of Pfizer. Naturally, this was during the period of the takeover and the chief executive was precluded from making any pronouncements on the matter. However, I articulated, as did the chief executive of the IDA who was with me, that we wanted, first, to work with the new company, Pfizer. Second, we wanted to articulate the sustainability of the maximum number of positions in this country. Third, we said we would work with the Pfizer team when they were appointed. Therefore, the Deputy can appreciate the chief executive was not in a position to make a final pronouncement on that matter but we articulated our concerns and he agreed he would follow through with the relevant personnel once they were appointed and the final takeover was accepted and finalised.

I know from my workings with the IDA there was a constant dialogue between the IDA executives at chief executive and director level with the relevant personnel during visits that took place when Pfizer came to Ireland to appreciate the decisions that were finalised by the company in the takeover of Wyeth. It is important to say that that conversation and dialogue will continue.

It is important to say that the IDA has advised that concerning the three plants which are modern and have had huge investment it is very confident that a buyer can be found for the facilities and it will work very closely with Pfizer in that regard.

I cannot say when the present Minister met the company as I did not have an opportunity to ask him that but I am aware that constant dialogue has been taking place. The assurances given by the IDA are forthright and it will work vehemently to ensure that we sustain as many jobs as possible. A timeframe is set down which will allow State agencies to interact with the individual people to support them either with the provision of a skill or in the facilitation of other opportunities. It is important to say there was a considerable amount of interaction and work done by the IDA on behalf of the State in the context of the Pfizer takeover and on the basis that there was a global capacity problem. We articulated that we had invested significantly in supporting the presence of Pfizer and Wyeth in this country and wanted it to continue. The IDA is hopeful that following from the final decisions made by Pfizer today, it will continue to work with Pfizer for further future developments and investments by the company in Ireland. We were advised at the time that approximately 6,000 jobs from a company total of 33,000 would have been at risk as a consequence of the announcement of the takeover of Wyeth by Pfizer.

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