Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Labour Party opposes the Order of Business because of the failure of the Tánaiste and Government to address the closure of the Mallow sugar factory. Yesterday the report from the Court of Auditors was published which states this was one of Europe's most efficient producers and closed down its large, modern and potentially efficient sugar factory. In plain English, this factory did not have to close. A profitable factory and industry was closed with the loss of 300 jobs and the knock-on consequences for local businesses in Mallow and north Cork and farmers which were supplying it across a large area of Munster and Leinster.

We have attempted to have this matter addressed properly in a number of ways. There is no point in having an Adjournment debate where a Minister of State will come in and read a script. Private notice questions will be answered by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Smith, who he was not the relevant Minister at the time. The Tánaiste was the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when this happened, and attended the Council of Ministers and has responsibility for this decision. We need to have accountability in this House for how she carried out her role at the time and why a factory was closed with the subsequent consequences.

There was a perfectly profitable industry which was scuttled with the loss of jobs, business and the farmers who supplied it. The Tánaiste spoke as if the discussion earlier had not taken place and bizarrely read out the Order of Business as if this was not an issue. It is an issue and it will have to be addressed.

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