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Job Losses

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Questions (446, 447, 448)

Clare Daly

Question:

446. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he will take on the announcement of 160 job losses at a company (details supplied). [12830/14]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

447. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total value in grants or subsidies received from the State by a company (details supplied) since the year 2005. [12863/14]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

448. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of times he or his officials have met a company (details supplied) to discuss its operations here. [12866/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 446 to 448, inclusive, together.

Earlier this month this company announced that it intended to close its manufacturing facility in West County Dublin, by the end of 2015, impacting 130 employees, as the company makes changes to its global manufacturing network. A further group of about 40 posts in that facility are unaffected. In addition, a single operating unit at a separate plant in Swords, Co Dublin, will also cease manufacturing but the company will continue to employ about 330 at the Swords plant. These job losses are very regrettable but I have asked IDA Ireland to work closely with the company in relation to the future of these sites.

A total of €3,660,565 of grants was paid to the company by the IDA since 2005. In relation to meetings held, I myself met company executives in New York in February 2012. IDA Ireland had 16 meetings with this company in 2013 and a further three meetings have been held to date in 2014. These meetings were at corporate level to discuss their current operations and future opportunities in Ireland.

The fact remains that the pharmaceutical sector is still a substantial employer in Ireland. Unfortunately there are considerable global pressures facing that industry at present, including overcapacity, patent expiry, clinical trial failures and fallout from mergers and acquisitions. This has resulted in various adverse decisions on employment in some Irish plants by various companies. However you will appreciate that these decisions are made by the companies in what they see as being in the best interests of the groups as a whole and are designed to safeguard the remaining operations. Despite these occasional setbacks, it is noteworthy that employment in IDA client companies in the pharmaceutical sector has been rising in recent years, despite the various pressures. Total employment at the end of last year was 25,180, up 5% on the previous year.

Recent investment wins for Ireland in the Biopharma/Pharma sectors include Alexion, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, BioMarin, Regeneron, Abbvie and Eli Lilly. IDA Ireland remains confident it can attract further fresh Pharma investment to Ireland during 2014.

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