Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister still does not seem to get it. The key point is that the work force in the constituency wants to have the current jobs retained and that the threat of the loss of jobs to Poland needs a response. People have asked for assistance in terms of the accounting, economic studies and supports the Department might be able to provide for the workforce. However, the Minister is clearly indicating that he will not do any of this and that his role is to provide some method of seeking alternative employment. That response is simply not sufficient.

As I understand it, Mondelez-Cadbury is part of the joint 3G Capital-Berkshire Hathaway Group which has been imposing very severe conditions and cutbacks at its plants in the United States. We now have this transfer of production to Poland where, obviously, workers will be on much lower pay and conditions. We have a process whereby workers are being hired on temporary contracts and totally different conditions than the existing workforce. This is a very important industrial workforce in an area that used to be part of the Minister's constituency and has always been part of mine. It has to be said the Minister's response is incredibly lacklustre and lethargic.

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