Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The option of taking it into public ownership is not on the agenda. Our major concern is with the impact on staff and their families. This includes 650 staff who are employed directly by the company in Navan, but also staff in companies impacted that have contracts with Tara Mines. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, met the management team from Tara Mines last week. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and officials, along with Enterprise Ireland, are engaging with the company to try to work out what assistance can be given to introduce efficiencies and reduce costs, including energy costs, within state aid parameters. Every effort is being made to see what we can do to get Tara Mines reopened. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, met the trade unions on Monday afternoon. We are very conscious of their concerns. I refer to the WRC meeting this week which unions and management attended.

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