David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I again call for a debate on unemployment, specifically in the context of the Action Plan for Jobs. The Leader will agree that we continue to face many challenges and that we still have a great deal of work to do in order to create the jobs that are needed in the State. Job retention which is as important as job creation is an issue on which we must also focus. The Leader will be aware of the Essentra company which may be transferring its operations to Dublin from Waterford, with the potential loss of 50 jobs. I raise this issue because Essentra produces packaging, etc., for pharmaceutical companies. There is a strong cluster of pharmaceutical and life sciences companies in the south east, many of which do not use the services provided by other local companies and instead seek such services either outside the region or even the country. Multinationals which come to the State to set up operations can avail of very attractive taxation rates, which I support. However, there is a responsibility on them to support other businesses and, by extension, employment in the regions in which they are located. If such support was on offer from the multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in the south east, Essentra would not be faced with the possibility of being obliged to make 50 people in Waterford redundant. In the context of job retention, perhaps the Leader might liaise with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on what is happening in Waterford in order to discover if anything might be done to retain the jobs in Waterford. As he is aware, there is a very high and unacceptable level of unemployment in Waterford city.