I thank the Chair for allowing me raise this matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary. The matter I raise is not just about the announcement by Pfizer this week of job losses in Cork. Over a period it has let go a substantial number of employees in Cork and throughout Ireland on a phased basis. The latest announcement is a devastating blow to the Cork region, particularly to the harbour area of Ringaskiddy and Shanbally. It is a major concern that Cork is now dependent on the farm industry sector. The jobs lost are high-end, high-skilled well paid jobs. It is extraordinary that in this 21st century we are allowing these jobs be lost and allowing the workers from Pfizer to join the lengthening dole queues.
All politics is local, but this is not about politics. It is about local people. In the area of Cork City and Carrigaline there are some 22,000 people on the live register, 4,100 of whom are under the age of 25 — an extraordinary figure. We can add to these another 21,000 in Cork, which gives us a total unemployment figure of 43,000. The Government needs to take action. I understand the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, has said that the current job losses are part of the global restructuring of Pfizer, but it is more than that. We need action now, rather than hyperbole or spin from politicians and Government. I hope the response from the Minister of State will inform us of what the Government, the State agencies and the IDA intend to do to attract companies to the Cork area. I hope we will hear of the Government's plan to sell the two Pfizer plants as a going concern. I also hope to hear what the Government has to say to the highly skilled workers to give them hope they will not have to go abroad to work.
The Minister of State is involved in the public sector and is well aware of the importance and value of a job. It is imperative that as a Government and a nation we start to protect and create jobs. Pfizer has withdrawn for a number of reasons, but some of those reasons are the issue of competitiveness and the cost of doing business here. Our ratings have slipped in a number of these areas and this is a concern. I hope we can stem future job losses. I note the Minister has spoken to the IDA and I hope we will hear now what is happening with regard to exploring the possibility of bringing in other major industrialists to Cork in the scientific and pharma areas.
The multinational sector has been pivotal in our economic growth because of the measures we took in the past. This area must not be lost and forgotten now. What priority has the Government for the Cork area with regard to foreign direct investment? There is significant access in the north east now, with Dublin and Belfast seen as hubs by the Government. However, what is the future for Cork, the capital of the southern region and its gateway? It seems to have been lost in Government thinking. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's reply on this major blow to the southern area. It is not just about Pfizer, but also about small and medium enterprises which have lost jobs.
