Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and for meeting with local Deputies earlier along with EI officials. I am glad he has given assurances that he will use his office to ensure redundant workers are provided with opportunities for retraining through EI, SOLAS and the local employment service. The message I am getting from workers is that the workforce in Coolock is in competition with other Mondelēz International sites and because of the lower wage costs in Poland, in particular, production is being transferred abroad. People are losing their jobs in Coolock because it is cheaper to move to another site with lower wage costs. That is galling for those who have worked all their life in a company such as Cadbury. They have contributed to the company's growth and profits. It is disappointing for them to have to face this now. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue.

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