Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, to the House. I thank Senator O'Meara for raising the matter and for allowing me time to speak on it. It is a very important issue for north Tipperary, in particular the town of Thurles and its surrounding area. I appeal to the Minister of State to leave no stone unturned in seeking a resolution to the difficulties in which the company finds itself as a result of the decision made by the Competition Authority. As Senator O'Meara stated, the 150 or 160 workers who are employed directly at the company are our first concern. However, we also have a concern for the greater community of Thurles, where industry has been based on the food industry and has suffered its share as far back as the closure of the sugar factory. Many of those jobs have never been replaced.

To take up where Senator O'Meara finished, from a positive perspective, there is every hope that the factory and the jobs can be saved. The workers at the plant and their unions must be commended on the way they have approached this difficulty and on the decisions they have taken in order to operate better practices. If this factory is compared with a similar factories in Britain or elsewhere, it can be seen there is much room for production there.

With regard to Government intervention, I appeal to the Minister to get involved and to sort out this difficulty. We want the factory retained as a viable unit. It is very important it is not sold off or divested of some of its brands, such as Erin gravy rich, oxtail soup, or a brand which is doing well at present, McDonnells curry sauce. There is huge potential and room for further development at the factory. The public and the workers are concerned, arising from the Competition Authority's decision, that if the factory is sold off and the new company can divest itself of those brands, in a few years we will left with nothing but a ghost factory.

We in the area are positive and believe the factory can be saved. Politicians are working as a unit in this regard. We appeal for help from the Minister of State and the Government, which we have no doubt we will receive. For the greater benefit of the community in Thurles, it is essential this happens.