Workers at the Smurfit Kappa newspaper printing press in Kells, County Meath, learned a couple of weeks ago that, subject to regulatory approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, the operation in Kells is to be acquired by KIP Limited, an indirect UK incorporated subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp UK. Workers there are deeply concerned that their terms and conditions of employment, including redundancy entitlements, will be hollowed out in the process. Many of the workers have decades of loyal service to Smurfit, which is a successful and profitable company. Is the Tánaiste aware of this proposed acquisition? Does he have an opinion on it? What assurance can he offer as Tánaiste that the terms and conditions of employment, including redundancy entitlements, will be protected?

I am not aware of it. The Department does receive notifications of redundancies and sometimes of acquisitions. I have not seen this come across my desk yet. It might be that it falls under the transfer of undertakings and the staff would receive protections under that, but I would have to check it out. I will ask my officials to make contact with the company and see what we can do.