His comment follows Element Six’s decision to close its manufacturing and distribution activities on its site in Shannon.
“I contacted the Tánaiste yesterday and today and emphasised the urgent need to secure alternative employment for those affected by today’s jobs announcement at Element Six in Shannon”, stated Minister of State Killeen.
He added: “IDA Ireland, the Agency Responsible for the Development of FDI Foreign Investment in Ireland, always has companies in the pipeline seeking to take advantage of a readily available and highly trained workforce. My hope is that the Shannon Free Zone, which has long been an established centre for investment and innovation, will be the subject of investment by other firms in the near future and that alternative employment can be sourced for those affected by today’s announcement.”
Minister Killeen said the retention of 80 Research and Development jobs by Element Six at its Shannon site presented some hope for the future. “Innovation and R&D are central to the operation and competitive success of every SME or multinational firm. The length of time and resources that companies invest in R&D dictates whether they remain competitive and gain new markets. Therefore, the retention of R&D jobs by Element Six suggests the potential for a possible expansion of operations at the site in the future”, he said.
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