I raise the shock announcement of the loss of 80 jobs at the B. Braun facility in Collooney in County Sligo. This is a hammer blow for the workers, their families and the entire community in Collooney, which is about 1,700 or 1,800 people. B. Braun has said it will retain a specialist research and development unit in Sligo so this may present an opportunity to resource and grow the research and development part of the business. There are also opportunities with linkages to the new Atlantic technological university. I ask the Taoiseach to raise this matter with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment as he has a responsibility to help ensure, first and foremost, alternative employment opportunities for those who lost their jobs, as well as support for growing the research and development part of this business.

I thank Deputy Harkin for raising this issue. I am deeply saddened by the announcement from B. Braun that it will be closing the manufacturing side of its Sligo facility. Our hearts and minds are with the employees and their families at this very difficult time for them. B. Braun has provided enormous employment opportunities for Sligo and this will be devastating for the community. The Government and IDA Ireland held close consultations with the site management, who strove to find alternative solutions. However, such solutions could not be found, leading to this closure. As the Deputy noted, the firm is going to keep the research and development team of 11 employees and has stated that further investment in the area will be potentially coming further down the line. We have invested €13.7 million in IT Sligo and the Collooney to Castlebaldwin road also represents a very significant investment. Advantio announced in January its plans to open its European cybersecurity headquarters in Sligo. We will do whatever we can to help the workers secure alternative employment and to get alternative employment into the sector.