Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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252. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps she will take to deal with the significant fall-out for 87 employees and their families with the announcement by a company (details supplied) of ceasing production of cigarette rolls from October 2016 which arises from the implementation of an EU directive which limits the manufacture of cigarettes below 30 grammes which has led to a serious reduction in the production line capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19919/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Clearly my first thoughts are with the workers affected by the announcement by the company concerned to close its Mullingar facility. I understand that the company has initiated a consultation process with its employees and their representatives who are impacted by the announcement.

In regard to the employees concerned, Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation, which offers extensive protections to employees. Workplace Relations Commission information staff are available to meet staff, either individually or collectively, to discuss their employment rights. I would urge anyone who is in danger of losing their job to make contact with the Workplace Relations Commission.

Any person who has a business idea and wants to consider self-employment should make contact, in the first instance, with the Westmeath Local Enterprise Office to explore available options. The LEO will be able to give advice or guidance on all aspects of starting your own business.

On the question of job creation in the Region, my Department has published eight Regional Action Plans for Jobs, including a plan for the Midlands. The sectors in the regions targeted in the plan include manufacturing, tourism, food and energy. Actions to be delivered over the period 2015-2017 include:

- A series of actions to promote 25% more start-ups in the midlands, including extra funding, mentoring programmes and establishing new incubator spaces for entrepreneurs like Offaly Innovation Centre (The Junction) in Tullamore;

- A series of actions aimed at attracting at least 25 additional multinational investment projects to the region by 2019, including building two advance facilities for Athlone, appointing an IDA Regional Manager for the midlands and actions to ensure that key IDA personnel overseas have enhanced knowledge and marketing plans for the region;

- A series of actions to support extra employment growth in the 1052 existing exporting companies within the midlands region, most of which are SMEs;

- Establishing a Midlands manufacturing technologies campus.

While Enterprise Ireland cannot support the company concerned in line with national policy on tobacco control, in terms of job creation in the Midlands and in Mullingar in particular, Enterprise Ireland is focussed on the creation of new jobs through continuing to work with established companies in its client portfolio. As part of a record job creation performance in 2015, Enterprise Ireland created 229 new jobs in County Westmeath.

In addition to marketing the Midlands for new investment, IDA Ireland works with its existing client companies in the area with a view to encouraging them to grow and embed their business.

The State agencies will continue to work closely with each other, and with local interests, in line with the Midlands Regional Action Plan for Jobs, to support an integrated approach to job creation in Mullingar and the wider region.

I hope therefore that, through the Action Plan, many new employment opportunities will be created.