Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Over the past five years or more, there has been a steady outflow of jobs to other jurisdictions for a variety of reasons. Some of these are jurisdictions within the EU, some are outside. Has a stringent and forensic evaluation of the causes given for the suppression or relocation of such jobs been carried out? Has the Department engaged with the firms concerned with a view to identification of those issues? To what extent has a plan been put in place to address the issues arising therefrom? For example, the case of Jacob's Biscuits comes to mind. The firm relocated from this jurisdiction to an adjoining jurisdiction, where the costs should not be all that much greater. Given the need to encompass within our economy all levels of skills and accommodate them within the labour force, can the Minister indicate whether his Department will lead the campaign to identify the issues with a view to addressing them in the short term?

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