Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter, which concerns a huge number of people and their families across County Louth, in particular Drogheda, who are impacted by the decision. I met my Oireachtas colleagues and others in relation to this significant news earlier this week. I met officials from IDA Ireland earlier today to discuss this important issue. I reiterate my position and that of the Government on the floor of the House this afternoon. Becton Dickinson UK and Ireland announced that, following an analysis of its network and forecast market demand, it had made the difficult decision to discontinue production at its site in Drogheda over the next two and a half years. The decision will result in phased closure of the Becton Dickinson Drogheda site by the end of quarter 4 of 2026. This will regrettably directly affect 170 people currently employed there. In response, the Government is on hand to support those workers. Our agencies will work to support the employees affected in the period ahead as they pursue alternative employment. This will include sharing the skills profiles of impacted employees with companies who may be hiring, with multinationals in IDA Ireland’s client base and with indigenous companies through Enterprise Ireland. This work has already begun.

I have also scheduled a meeting with the global Becton Dickinson leadership in the US in a fortnight as part of a wider trade and investment mission to the east coast of the United States of America. I will be discussing further this decision as raised by the Deputies.

In parallel, IDA Ireland continues to engage with Becton Dickinson corporate, Becton Dickinson UK and Ireland, and Becton Dickinson Drogheda to assist the company. It has indicated that the company is committed to supporting affected employees. IDA Ireland will also provide introductions to companies that are currently recruiting locally, and will provide support services for affected staff with Skillnet and Solas. IDA Ireland will also work with Becton Dickinson on marketing the site for potential new employers. This will involve IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise offices working together to see how new employment can be secured for Drogheda and for the Becton Dickinson site in particular. The Government is on hand to support workers. Our agencies will work to support employees affected right across the period ahead.

Factors affecting the decision cited by the company include demand for the company's PosiFlush syringe line, competitiveness pressures, low-cost locations, the desire to right-size to match the company's supply chain, and the availability and capacity of Becton Dickinson locations including those in other locations than Ireland. Staff were notified by the company of its decision yesterday, 3 July, with a formal collective redundancy process to commence. This announcement follows an earlier 2023 decision to reduce the headcount by 60 due to the demand last year. This is very disappointing news for the Drogheda facility that has provided invaluable employment for almost 60 years. The company has indicated that it will continue to employ more than 900 workers in other sites in Enniscorthy, Dublin and Limerick.

Deputy O'Dowd has outlined his particular experience having worked with the company. I assure Deputies that in our proposed meeting, we will do everything we can to work with the company to have them evaluate the decision in the days ahead. I do not want to raise any expectations in connection with that because it is a clear board decision that has been taken on sustainability grounds by the company. As Deputy O'Dowd alluded to, the 50,000 sq. m new advanced factory unit received planning permission on 26 June. The procurement process will now begin to deliver that site and we will ensure that IDA Ireland will aggressively market it. Notwithstanding the efforts that will be made, if this timeline does come to pass IDA Ireland now has a very significant unit, hopefully working with Becton Dickinson if they depart. We will work in a very regulated industry, with a very valuable asset in the current life sciences chain, to work to ensure we get a client to fulfil it and improve the infrastructure and employment in Drogheda.

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