Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also appeal to the Minister to get involved in south Tipperary. Some 6,452 people are unemployed in south Tipperary and 7,995 people are unemployed in north Tipperary. The blow of the loss of these jobs to Clonmel is huge. I compliment the employees in Grant's, wish them well and also sympathise with them. Grant's has moved from Clonmel. Action is needed now to work on developing opportunities in other areas.

I appeal to the Minister, who is sitting beside his Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes, to stop the nonsense of his Cabinet colleague who, as we find today, is going around the globe, out in the United Nations. He is like an apostle. He might even go to Rome altogether and announce in the Vatican that he has found employment for Cashel. The Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, is working with all of us to try to fill the Johnson & Johnson factory in Cashel. We do not need Allah coming along and telling us that he has it filled and wheeling out a former ambassador to back up his claim. This is ridiculous. I appeal to the Minister and his colleagues to reign in this desperate Minister. That is what he is because, as I said last week, he would turn up for the opening of a can of Coke. He is insisting on boards of management opening schools. He is ringing the schools and giving them misinformation.

His colleagues should rein him in and tell him to cop on to himself. This is a serious business we are in, and he should not be making high profile statements.

See this speech in context