Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is obviously a big concern to me. I know VMware well. It is a fantastic company with a skilled workforce who have done an amazing job for quite a long time in Cork. VMware has been acquired by a company called Broadcom. We knew that when the acquisition or merger took place, there would be an impact. The workforce also knew that. Unfortunately, it means 360 job losses. The IDA has been working closely with the company, and will continue to do so, as will my Department. We will do everything we can to support the workforce. It is really bad news. However, this is a highly skilled workforce and there will be other employment opportunities available quickly for people. That is certainly the experience. Nevertheless, it is still a shock, particularly at this time of year. I assure the Deputy that the agencies of the State will be working closely with the staff to support them in any way we can.

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