Moves to address ballinrobe jobs crisis

AN Taoiseach Enda Kenny has promised Independent Deputy Noel Grealish that a Regional Action Plan for Jobs for the Western Region will be launched in the coming weeks.

Deputy Kenny was responding to a call by Deputy Grealish for a task force on employment in Ballinrobe and south Mayo to be set up in the wake of the impending closure of the town’s Irish Pride plant with the loss of 60 jobs.

Deputy Grealish, in a letter to the Taoiseach — following the announcement that while most of the Irish Pride operations, which went into receivership in June, were bought out by Pat the Baker, this did not include the Mayo bakery — likened the impact on the town to the loss of 500 jobs in Galway City.

It was imperative that new industry be attracted in to fill the void, said the TD, whose Galway West constituency has been extended to include Ballinrobe and surrounding area for the next election.

In response, Deputy Kenny told Deputy Grealish that he understood it must be a very difficult situation for those involved and he had passed on the suggestion of a task force to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton.