John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I was present on 12 December 2002 at a meeting in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The meeting was attended by all Oireachtas Members from Carlow-Kilkenny, local councillors, representatives of SIPTU and several representatives of the Comerama plant in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny.

On that day, the previous Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Tánaiste, entered into an unequivocal and clear undertaking that the new redundancy payment measures coming into force would apply to the workforce in Comerama when the factory closed. It was apparent some weeks before the closure that the factory was in trouble. That is why the deputation came to Dublin the day after the announcement. The Tánaiste's statement on that day was quite clear and everyone who attended the meeting, with the exception of Deputy Harney, has the same recollection. She subsequently stated that she did not make the commitment to which I refer. It is clear that she did make it. There were serious altercations on this issue in the Lower House with the Deputies who represent Carlow-Kilkenny.

Between 150 and 160 people were working at the factory when it closed. The difference in the redundancy payments for them is approximately €1 million, a substantial sum of money for that area. Like many rural towns, Castlecomer has recently suffered a significant decline in its industrial base and there is high unemployment there. The Comerama closure was one of several to occur in recent years.

The Tánaiste entered into an undertaking which she has not honoured. I am using this opportunity to raise the issue with the new Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in the hope that he can use his offices to rectify the situation as soon as possible.