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

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this matter. It is with great sadness and regret that I must raise this issue on the floor of the Dáil, as the devastating news was confirmed yesterday for the workers and their families that significant job losses will be incurred in Longford. These are good, high-quality jobs. Cameron Willis established its Longford base in 1978 and from that time onwards, the relationship has been mutually beneficial. The company has benefitted from a loyal, committed and dedicated workforce which at its peak was responsible for a turnover of €150 million per annum. At its lowest point, turnover fell to €100 million with margins of 33%. It was a highly profitable company that did very well and needless to say, County Longford benefitted immensely from having a company of that magnitude located in Longford town.

The manner in which this was handled leaves much to be desired. Rumours were circulating for a number of weeks, which left staff members extremely anxious and concerned with regard to their future. I make the point that now the news of 170 potential job losses has been confirmed, this is not simply a statistic. These are real families for whom there are real consequences leading up to Christmas. While 170 jobs may seem like a small number in the general scheme of things, it certainly is not small for a small county such as Longford. One should not think merely of the 170 jobs but also of the indirect employment consequences to which this will give rise.

Were the Minister or her officials made aware of this decision? If so, when were they made aware of it? Has the Minister sought a meeting with the relevant personnel from Cameron Willis? I note that in its press releases, the company refers to potential job losses. Has Enterprise Ireland met the senior management to ascertain whether State supports could be made available to try to reduce the number of job losses on the table? This is not a decision that can be blamed on the Government; it is a commercial decision I believe to be based on the cost of labour. I am of the view that the company is seeking to move to a cheaper economy. However, one must consider Ireland's own base. In terms of competitiveness, Ireland has dropped from being the ninth best country in which to do business in 2010 to the 17th best in 2016. Government is responsible for the lack of priority that has been given to promote regional development. I refer, in particular, to the previous Administration in this regard. Between 2011 and 2015, only two IDA Ireland site visits were made to Longford. The investment in the necessary infrastructure has been absolutely slashed and these job losses serve as a reminder that only three months ago, 87 jobs were lost in the region in Mullingar.

At a local level, the chairman of Longford County Council has called together the corporate policy group, the relevant stakeholders, Government bodies and Oireachtas Members and I invite the Minister, if she cannot come to the meeting at 1 o'clock on Monday next, to send a senior official from the Department to see what can be done.

At a broader level, we need to ascertain whether these jobs are gone. Is "potential" merely a sugar-coated word that the company is using in its press releases? If they are gone, how can we access the globalisation adjustment fund?

I ask the Minister to give serious consideration to the establishment of a special task force of persons with relevant experience, captains of industry with a clear implementation plan and a timeline, something similar to what was established in Limerick in 2009 when Dell looked to relocate from Limerick to Poland. That is now necessary, not only for Longford but for the midland region that has been left behind over the past number of years.

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