Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I acknowledge the Deputy's statement. There is no sense of complacency on the part of the Government on this issue. We must have regard to the fact the Cabinet has asked the IDA, given its knowledge of the company, to continue to work with it to mitigate any possible negative outcomes.

Let us be frank. I can dance around the language of redundancies and job losses but if a multinational company that transcends many boundaries has decided the course of action it will take, it is difficult for Governments to influence decisions. Nobody wants job losses but sometimes decisions are made in other centres, financial powerhouses and capital cities other than Dublin.

The key point is for us to engage with the company and try to move it from its current trajectory in terms of job losses. We will do everything we can in that respect. If the company makes a decision God or man will not shift it. We should be honest and frank about the discourse. We must try to ensure the same situation as TalkTalk does not arise and there is an early warning system that ensures we can engage with a company to try to stem the flow of job losses and learn valuable lessons to ensure the policy is tapered to have the right mix of companies.

I will engage further with the Minister, Deputy Bruton. The Deputy's comments are on the record of the House and I will relate them to the Minister and the IDA.

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