Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I extend a very warm welcome to the Minister and thank her for taking time out of her busy schedule to come to the Chamber. I have no doubt that she is extremely disappointed to learn of the 31 proposed job losses at Kerry Foods in Carrickmacross, as am I. Our thoughts are with the workers and families affected. It must be a very difficult, worrying and stressful time for them as I am sure they all have financial commitments to which they must adhere. The Minister will agree that it is a huge blow for the town of Carrickmacross, in particular in light of the 150 job losses at the Bose factory in 2015.

Kerry Foods has cited the volatility of sterling as a result of Brexit as one of the main reasons for the proposed job losses. This is a very alarming development in view of the dependence on the agrifood sector in County Monaghan, of which the Minister is aware. We have a huge number of jobs in that sector and it is of critical importance to the area. All Senators have been warning for some time about the threat posed by Brexit and, unfortunately, the events of recent days once again highlight how real that threat is to the 31 workers faced with redundancy and the people of Carrickmacross. It is important that the Government stays close to major employers in County Monaghan, in particular those involved in the food sector, who are acutely at risk because much of their produce goes to the United Kingdom.We need to help them by making sure they get all the help possible to navigate their way through this difficult period and to find new markets, where possible. I am disappointed to have to say that the Government's record of attracting new employment to counties like Monaghan and Cavan is dismal. Earlier this week, I received the most recent IDA Ireland statistics regarding visits to both counties. I learned that in 2017, there was one visit to County Monaghan and there were two visits to County Cavan. In the last six years, there have been seven visits to County Monaghan and ten to County Cavan. I am sure the Minister will agree that none of us can be proud of this dismal record. I have been saying for some time that no part of our country is more exposed to Brexit than the Border counties. I am sure the Minister agrees with this. I call on the Government to create a special economic zone in the Border region because such an initiative is much needed.

There is no reason large companies cannot locate and flourish in counties like Monaghan and Cavan. A number of companies are already located in both counties. As the Minister is well aware, Monaghan Mushrooms is the largest exporter of mushrooms in Europe and the second largest in the world. Another company, Combilift, exports its products all over the world. Our deep exposure to Brexit is a cause of great concern. The Government needs to stay awake. We need to stay close to our existing employers to ensure they can navigate their way through these turbulent times. We must also focus on finding alternative employment. I am concerned that County Monaghan is over-exposed to the agrifood sector. I am heartened by the fact that the Minister, who is new to this portfolio, is a Monaghan lady born and bred. I get great confidence from that. I wish her well in her new post as she tries to convince her Government colleagues that the Border counties have a special case that deserves to be listened to. I hope our day will come very shortly.