Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will meet staff at a company (details supplied); if she can ensure that staff will receive the best possible package available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18169/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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534. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the discussions she or the statutory agencies under the remit of her Department have had or propose to hold with the senior management in a company (details supplied) or with representatives of employees, given the recent announcement of redundancies in that company, to ensure that all possible assistance is provided to employees who may lose their jobs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18516/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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535. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the discussions she has had with senior management or representatives of employees in a company (details supplied), in view of the recent announcement of redundancies, to ensure that appropriate supports are provided without delay for employees who may lose their jobs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18517/16]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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547. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the 70 job losses at a company (details supplied); if there is anything that can be done to protect jobs in this sector; and her plans for job creation in County Cavan. [18168/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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552. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the discussions she has had or proposes to have with the senior management of a company (details supplied) on the need for this company to retain the maximum level of employment in County Cavan in view of its recent announcement regarding redundancies; if the statutory agencies under the remit of her Department have offered assistance to the company or its employees on employment retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18518/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 to 535, inclusive, 547 and 552 together.

I share the Deputies’ concern in relation to the recent developments at this company, where 70 job losses were announced last week from its operations in Cavan and Blanchardstown. I am very much aware that these redundancies follow a series of job losses in this company in recent years so this is a further blow, especially to the Cavan town operation.

This decision was made after a strategic internal review by the company. The priority for the Government now is to seek to retain the remaining jobs and work to create new jobs elsewhere in the region.

IDA is engaging with the company so that it can develop a skills profile of the affected workers and will aim to match them with other potential employers. In addition the IDA will continue to engage with the company to seek to influence corporate decisions and to broaden the scope of their operations here. One positive development is that the company’s project announced in 2013 for the eventual creation of 150 jobs in an IT project at their Blanchardstown operation currently employs 70 staff and remains on track to reach that employment target.

On the wider picture, I have asked both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to redouble their efforts to secure new projects and expand existing operations in Cavan, and to explore all opportunities to replace the jobs being lost there. Enterprise Ireland’s job creation work in County Cavan has been particularly successful in recent years with 300 and 190 net new jobs added in 2014 and 2015 respectively. In addition, the Local Enterprise Office in the County has been working to develop the micro-enterprise sector in Cavan and has helped to develop start up enterprises. That work will, of course, continue. The Regional Action Plan for Jobs for the North East and North West is now in place and will be a key instrument in driving job creation in the region.

As regards services for the staff who will, unfortunately, lose their jobs, my officials have been in touch with both the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and with the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The priority of DSP is to ensure that employees who are made redundant receive their statutory entitlements and jobseeker payments in a timely manner, and it will also proactively help them to access the opportunities for employment in their region.

Officials from that Department have already had preliminary discussions with representatives from the company and will provide information sessions to interested staff over the coming weeks. These sessions will provide staff with advice on jobseekers payments and other income supports. Information will also be provided on the employment supports which will be available to the employees to prepare them to return to work or explore appropriate education and training options. The employees based in Cavan will be advised to make contact with the Cavan INTREO Centre as soon as they have their leaving dates. They will then be provided with the earliest possible appointment to make their claim.

In relation to the local ETB, that body has already contacted the company with a view to offering support, advice and required education and training. The ETB has engaged successfully with Liberty and former staff on previous occasions and is eager to continue this level of engagement.