Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, IDA Ireland has ignored this region in recent years. That is why I did not support the previous Government. This region was totally and utterly ignored. Marlinstown business park would be lying empty if Patterson Pump had not relocated there. I accept that tougher tobacco regulation is needed but it was imperative for IDA Ireland and the previous Government to engage with this business when it was forewarned in February 2013 of the consequence of the directive. It is possible the company is using the directive to relocate to locations where labour is cheaper. We were warned in February 2013 that this could happen. What strategy was put in place by the previous Government in 2013 to ensure that when the inevitable happened, there would be something in place for the 87 people who will lose their jobs at the end of this year? The former Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Senator James Reilly, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, and the previous Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, were written to in 2013 but no action was taken. I accept the Minister's sincerity and her bona fides but the problem is that the midlands region, of which Westmeath is part, is one of only three regions of eight nationally that suffered an increase in unemployment in the first quarter of this year. We have an issue there which needs to be addressed. We need a specifically designated task force to come in and work in our region to ensure that we have job creation in future.

See this speech in context