Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

News of the 1,200 job losses at Wrightbus in Ballymena follows on from news of job losses in the Gallaher Group, Michelin and Harland and Wolff, where the workers are fighting back and are sitting in. It is clear that there is devastation taking place in Northern Ireland's industrial base. Particular questions need to be asked in this circumstance about the £16 million in charitable donations given largely to a Christian evangelical church. The case for nationalisation of the company to defend jobs and to defend green public transport is powerful and unanswerable. We want to express our full solidarity with the workers affected here. There are talks taking place with the British Government and with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In that regard, there is discussion about the all-Ireland economy. Will the Government raise the issue and press the issue of nationalisation to defend these jobs in the North of Ireland?

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