Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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1419. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps that were taken to try to avert the closure of a factory (details supplied) in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon; and when she was informed of the impending closure. [20192/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The company referred to by Deputy Murphy received a number of supports under various schemes from my Department, through Enterprise Ireland, between 2006 and 2011.

In January 2013, the Department of Health communicated to all Government Departments and their agencies the guidelines for the implementation of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).  Specifically, Principle 4 of the guidelines sets out the following;

‘Because their products are lethal, the tobacco industry should not be granted incentives to establish or run their businesses’.

As such, my Department and its agencies are no longer in a position to support companies in this sector.

I was informed on 13 April that the company intends to engage in a consultation period which may result in closure of the factory and redundancy of the employees.

My thoughts are with the workers and the wider community affected by this announcement.

My Department will continue to concentrate on creating sustainable employment in all regions of Ireland through the Regional Action Plans for Jobs.

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