(Mayo): The closure of All-Fresh Limited. in Charlestown, County Mayo, is not only a body blow to Charlestown, it is a body blow to the already weak employment and industrial base in County Mayo. The emphasis may be on Cork and the 450 jobs lost in Apple; however, to a jobs devastated county such as Mayo and a jobs starved town such as Charlestown, the closure of All-Fresh is a catastrophe.
It comes in the wake of the loss of 270 jobs in Asahi in Killala last year; the closure of the Claremorris Baking Company, with a loss of 200 jobs, which have not been replaced; the loss of 80 jobs at the Peter Storm rainwear company in Claremorris, which were not replaced; the loss of 150 jobs at Farah Ltd. in Ballyhaunis, which were not replaced; and the 30 jobs lost recently at in Betatherm in Ballinrobe, which have not been replaced.
Charlestown has never got its fair share – or, indeed, any share – of Government created jobs. Any jobs created in Charlestown were hewn from local enterprise. Charlestown finds itself on the edge of the black triangle, an area starved of jobs for years, dependent on a vulnerable small farming structure and which, year in year out, saw its life blood drained away, bled white by emigration. The plight of Charlestown was well encapsulated in Charlestown-born John Healy's book, And Nobody Shouted Stop.
To Charlestown, an enterprise such as All-Fresh is of huge economic importance. It gives real employment. It puts approximately £1 million into the local economy each year. Much of the employment is off-farm – people combining a job with the maintenance of a small family farm.
I feel very sorry for the 450 workers in Cork who have lost their jobs. Their loss is very real, very individual and very personal. However, the devastation to an area such as Charlestown of the loss of 100 jobs is many times more catastrophic. There is no replacement in sight.
The Charlestown jobs dilemma needs to be tackled on two fronts. First, every effort must be made to salvage the jobs in All-Fresh. I appreciate that a receiver is in place. I also understand that a consortium of workers at the plant may be in a position to make a bid to keep it operating as a going concern. I urge the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister of State to encourage, support and do everything possible to ensure this initiative is successful. There are plenty of precedents for it. If this proposition is not successful, the possibility of it being bought by an outside enterprise as a going concern should be encouraged. It should be taken over with the maximum number of jobs retained.
Second, Charlestown also needs to get the focus and attention it has not received up to now. It has not been sold or considered by the IDA for its attractiveness, presentation or location. It is on the border of Mayo and Sligo and the intersection of two national primary roads, the N5 and the N17. It is a stone's throw from Knock Airport. It has an excellent primary and post-primary school and superb community sports halls. It has assets and advantages which have not been marketed.
I am asking for special emphasis and focus to be given to this area. A special enterprise unit should be set up, consisting of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, the county enterprise board and local interests, to sell Charlestown as the attractive base that it is. The people of Charlestown are rightfully envious when they hear of high profile announcements for here, there and everywhere, yet there is nothing for Charlestown. The rot, drain and devastation must stop – as John Healy said, it has to stop now.
