Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Becton Dickinson announced that it is to close its plant in Drogheda, County Louth. It made that announcement approximately an hour and a half ago, and 170 jobs will be lost. Here is the killer. It is Drogheda's only IDA-backed manufacturing plant of scale. The Taoiseach knows that Drogheda is Ireland's largest town. It is Ireland's next city. It needs investment. It is on the floor at the moment. It has taken too many blows, and it seems this Government's enterprise plan for Drogheda involves extending the DART to the town to bring more workers from Drogheda to Dublin city centre every morning. Drogheda has the skill sets and expertise for foreign direct investment jobs. We need an expert-led enterprise task force to attract and retain foreign direct investment jobs in Drogheda. Will the Taoiseach work with me on that proposition? It is absolutely urgent. Drogheda is about to lose its only IDA-backed manufacturing plant of scale.

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