Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There will always be companies that lose employment. It is a source of disappointment whenever that happens, but the rate of job losses in Enterprise Ireland and IDA companies is at an historical low. This is encouraging. There is strong employment growth, including in manufacturing.

It is a source of great disappointment that Cadbury has needed to indicate that it will reduce the numbers it employs and restructure its business. In February 2015, the company announced job losses and stated that its Dublin facility would focus on four of its key brands. However, it committed to an investment of €11.7 million to improve the technology at the plant and copper-fasten its quality and capacity to compete in the long term.

I met the company as recently as last November and Enterprise Ireland continues to work with it to ensure that the best outcome is secured. We have a cross-agency group that is designed to help the workers in every way that we can. My understanding is that the company has not made changes to the plans announced in February. However, it continues to engage with the unions on the restructuring and has been negotiating on future work practices. It has availed of the State's industrial relations machinery, namely, the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and the Labour Court. I understand that the recommendations of the Labour Court are to be considered by union members this month.

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