Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the contacts he has had with management at a company (details supplied) in order to ensure a maximum number of jobs there are retained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18723/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Officials from my Department have contacted representatives of the Administrator of the company on several occasions since the announcement of the closure of the stores. The representatives confirmed that the business and assets of the company were sold on 1 April 2012. Despite this sale, the company remains insolvent. The purchaser has indicated that, for economic reasons, it does not intend to retain any of the Republic of Ireland stores at this time.

I am informed that, prior to their closure, all the Republic of Ireland stores were operating at a loss, as the leases had been negotiated at the height of the market, and it was not viable for these stores to continue trading. Regrettably, there would appear to be no prospect of these stores re-opening.