Government must act to save food sector jobs

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Sinn Féin Dáil leader and Cavan/Monaghan TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has described as “deplorable” the news that 36 jobs are to go at Rye Valley Foods in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.  Ó Caoláin questioned the claim from the parent company, Kerry, that the redundancies were necessary.
“It is another setback for a county and a region which never benefited from the Celtic Tiger to the extent of other regions and which is now especially badly hit by the recession.
“I would question the claim from the parent company, Kerry, that the redundancies were necessary. This company had an 8% rise in trading profits in 2008. In November 2009 they reported an improvement over the same ten-month period in 2008. Payments to Kerry executives and non-executive directors in 2008 amounted to over €5.2 million. These are the same executives that are putting ordinary workers on the dole.
“The Fianna Fáil/Green Government has failed miserably to come up with an effective strategy to retain and create jobs. The construction sector has been devastated and the food sector is shedding jobs at an alarming rate. The issue of the sterling/euro differential needs to be urgently addressed and the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan must address the special needs of the economy in the border region.”