Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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655. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions she has taken to protect jobs at a company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7064/17]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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660. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she had direct bilateral meetings with senior management of a company (details supplied) in Palo Alto, California, or any other location during the IDA investment mission to the west coast of the USA in October 2016 regarding securing jobs at the company's plant in County Kildare, in view of the fact the company announced it would cut up to 4,000 jobs over the next three years globally; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7407/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 660 together.

The Government and IDA Ireland did everything it could to avert the decision by HP Inc. I spoke with the company's senior management earlier this month.  The IDA engaged intensively with HP Inc as well. Senior executives from the Agency visited the company in California and proposals were put forward to try and ensure the continuing presence of the business in Leixlip.  

Unfortunately, it did not prove possible for the company to change course as the decision formed part of its wider global restructuring process. The company made it clear that this was irreversible.

I welcome Hewlett Packard’s stated commitment to making every effort to help those employees who will lose their jobs. The Government is also already making relevant State support available to the impacted employees. The Department of Social Protection, together with the relevant State Agencies, will all be doing their utmost to help workers transition and find new employment opportunities.  This will include the provision of re-training, if required.

My investment mission to the USA in October last did not include a meeting with HP Inc.