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

I thank the Minister for that response. I note detailed counterproposals were put forward six or seven months ago by the SIPTU, Unite and TEEU trade unions and by members of the workforce themselves who are obviously expert in this element of food production and it was feared some of the key brands, for example, the Twirl and the Snack, would be outsourced to Poland. The Minister stated we are in a critical period in these negotiations and referred to the role of the commission, etc. Is the position that the Minister will be able to save those jobs?

What response has he received? The ultimate mother group of this company, 3G Capital, which has a Brazilian principal in Rio de Janeiro and which has assembled this considerable food combine and has a bad track record in taking over companies, devastating their workforces, taking out value and leaving them. Has the Minister made contact with 3G Capital? There was word of a €11.7 million investment programme for Coolock and Rathmore. Has any of that been seen?

As the Minister will be aware, this is against a background where there are still more than 8,000 unemployed attending the two employment offices in Kilbarrack and Coolock in the constituency the Minister and I represent. As the Minister will be aware, there is still considerable anxiety and worry in the broader Coolock area that we could have further job losses here.

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