Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The news of possible large job losses in Covidien in Athlone over the next two years is a devastating blow to the people of the midlands and, in particular, the workers and their families. My heart goes out to the workers who are left with this great uncertainty in their lives. Added to that is the threat of closure of the barracks in Mullingar, something the Tánaiste promised would not happen. When the Government parties came to power, they promised a significant jobs budget and all we got was a damp squib of a jobs initiative. Month by month, the Government presides over increases in the live register, despite net outward migration.

See this speech in context