Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Homecare Medical is an example of an innovative SME. If it is having a problem with this process, my suggestion is genuinely that the problem is with the process. This company is not afraid of business or of hard work. If it could have met the demands of that process, it would have. We have to examine this.

I am encouraged to hear that Enterprise Ireland is working with the company. I ask the Minister to ensure that Enterprise Ireland works at the highest level with the company to try to identify other opportunities because, unfortunately, there are no other employment alternatives in Ballyhaunis or Kiltimagh. Employment in that part of the country is not growing and the only option for many is emigration. We have to try to keep as many people as possible in our small towns despite the fact that they are feeling utterly frustrated at the moment. There is a recovery taking place in some parts of the country but there are many others who are not seeing it, and they are feeling this frustration. This is one part of the country that is not seeing it. To lose 50 jobs and 15 jobs in areas that already have high rates of unemployment means that frustration is going to grow.

I ask that, first, Enterprise Ireland work at the very highest level with the national procurement service and with Homecare Medical to try to resolve whatever issues exist ahead of next week's deadline. Second, we need an all-of-government approach to assist smaller towns and more dispersed communities to be ready to gain from the upturn that may come next year.

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