I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 38 together.
Arising from its obligations under the Protection of Employment Act 1977, the company in question wrote to me on 7th February 2017 to give notice of pending collective redundancies in its employment.
Under their governing legislation, the enterprise development agencies under the remit of my Department are precluded from providing grant support to companies that operate exclusively in the area of sales and distribution. In this context, the company in question is not a client of any of the enterprise development agencies.
The proposed job losses will be a significant blow to the employees involved and their families. My Department remains focused on creating the most competitive environment for enterprise to succeed so that we can achieve our goal of sustainable employment for all. Working with our enterprise agencies and with colleagues across Government, we are committed to delivering a range of actions outlined in our National and Regional Action Plans for Jobs to ensure that quality and sustainable jobs continue to be created throughout all regions of the country.