Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has formed an opinion or if she has made representations to councillors in Counties Carlow or Cork in relation to rezonings sought by Greencore; her views on whether conditions with regard to the full payment of redundancy payments to former workers should be in place before such rezoning takes place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3712/07]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her recent contacts with Greencore and former Greencore workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3710/07]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will withhold restructuring funds from Greencore, in view of the fact that they are in breach of their terms of the social aspect of the restructuring plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3711/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 134 and 146 together.

Under the relevant EU regulations, the restructuring aid for the sugar industry has to be drawn down on the basis of an aid application submitted by the sugar processor. The applications must contain a restructuring plan, including a social plan detailing the actions planned in particular with respect to re-training, redeployment and early retirement of the workforce concerned. In July 2006, Greencore duly submitted such an application, which indicated that the proposed redundancy payments were in accordance with the ruling of the Labour Court.

I have met representatives of the workers on a number of occasions and I am aware that there is an ongoing dispute between the company and the workers over the interpretation of the Labour Court recommendation. I regret that the parties have not yet resolved their differences but I have no function in that regard. The position regarding that dispute was fully explained by my colleague the Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr Tony Killeen TD, in reply to a Parliamentary Question last Wednesday.

The aid application submitted by Greencore was approved in September subject to the outcome of the Judicial Review proceedings instituted by Greencore in respect of the Government decisions regarding the allocation of the aid. In view of these legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.

I have no function in relation to any planning applications by Greencore.