asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware of further redundancy in a firm (name supplied) in County Cavan; and that there has been a continuous history of redundancy in this firm since its opening; and what action he proposes to take on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Redundancy in County Cavan Firm.
30.
I am aware of the difficulties in maintaining employment which face this company and of the recent redundancies in the firm. As I stated in reply to previous questions, every effort is being made, both by the management of the company and the Industrial Development Authority, to secure additional work for the factory to ensure continuity of employment. These efforts have to date been instrumental in obtaining work from one German firm, and, while the amount of work accruing to the firm from this contract is, at this stage, small, I am hopeful that the IDA's efforts to bring to the notice of interested parties abroad the facilities available at this factory will be successful in bringing further work to the firm.
Does the Minister agree that where State money is involved in the actual foundation of firms, it is depressing to find that the history of these firms afterwards is consistently one of unemployment? Quite an amount of the taxpayers' money is involved in this firm, the Cavan Engineering Company, and there has been unemployment there from the very beginning.
It is disappointing, whether there is State money involved or not, but particularly where State money is involved, to find a situation such as exist in this firm. I would like to stress, however, that this is true in only a very small minority of cases in which State money is made available. In the ordinary course of events, it is inevitable, if one wants to have an active, dynamic approach to this problem, that one will have losses. One could, of course, ensure that one would have no losses at all but then one would have very little results.
There is a particular Fianna Fáil rhetoric for failure in every field. Is this a blood relation of the firm in Wexford giving extended holidays?
Of course, it is.
Is it not about time the Department put a stop to being taken for extended holidays by those who cannot run their firms under their own steam, who have to come to the State for money and who cannot provide employment?
I should say at this stage that the kind of questions, and the implications in some of the questions, being put by the Deputy and certain members of his Party are not helpful in regard to employment.
Because we tell the truth.
The Minister will agree it is high time to highlight these fly-by-nights.