Vol. 487 No. 8
53 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will accede to the request to meet the group of unions in Irish Fertilizer Industries regarding the decision, if any, being contemplated in respect of the future of that industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5321/98]
I have recently received a request for a meeting from the unions with memberhsip in the Irish Fertiliser Industries, or IFI, plant in the State. I welcome the opportunity which this meeting will provide to review global developments in the fertiliser industry and their impact on IFI's operations and to hear the unions elaborate on their position in this regard.
The group of unions requested the meeting last week against the background of the recent decision by Imperial Chemical Industries, ICI, to dispose of its fertiliser interests in the UK to the US based Terra Group. ICI remains a 49 per cent shareholder in Irish Fertilizer Industries IFI, with the State, through Nitrigín Éireann Teoranta, or NET, owning the remaining 51 per cent. I met the Chairman of IFI, Mr. Niall Welch before Christmas and was briefed on the ICI sale. The ICI shareholding in IFI was not part of the sale negotiations and I understand that Terra did not express an interest in the ICI shareholding in IFI.
I will attend the forthcoming annual general meeting of Irish Fertiliser Industries Limited in Belfast on 6 March and will avail of the opportunity to ascertain ICI's future intentions towards their shareholding in IFI. I will then be in a better position to assess the options available to the State.
I look forward to meeting the IFI group of unions following upon my forthcoming contacts with ICI. I will communicate with the union representatives to confirm arrangements for such a meeting in the coming days.
