Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I offer my solidarity and support to the workers in B. Braun Hospicare who are facing the loss of their jobs. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has a jobs, enterprise and development programme for the coming year. This programme talks about the creation and sustenance of high-quality enterprise and employment across all regions. Obviously, the IDA has a key role to play in this regard. It does great work, but that work could be better in the Border, midlands and western, BMW, region. Total employment in BMW-area IDA client companies is 8,721 as opposed to 124,000 in Dublin. There is a real disparity there. As my colleague, an Teachta Martin Kenny, has referred to, we need a discussion in which the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Tánaiste, is involved. Deputy Kenny will be convening such a meeting with local representatives, the IDA and other relevant stakeholders but we need to hear the Minister of State say this morning that she will fight like hell to save these jobs.

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