52. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the engagement his Department has had with an organisation (details supplied) and its employees; and the supports they will be able to provide in the event of redundancies. [66534/26]

Firstly, my thoughts are with all workers facing potential redundancy and I understand this is very difficult time for those involved.

Daktronics is a client company of IDA Ireland since 2014, following the acquisition of Data Display. Over the past 12 years, IDA Ireland has developed a strong relationship at corporate HQ and with the site leadership team in County Clare.

I understand that IDA has worked closely with leadership to support the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the Ennistymon operation over many years. Most recently, in February 2026, IDA supported a proposed Green Capital investment programme intended to strengthen the long-term competitiveness, energy efficiency and strategic profile of the site within the wider Daktronics organisation.

On 3 September 2026, immediately following Daktronics' announcement that it was considering a proposal to exit its highly customised International Transportation business, potentially affecting the Ennistymon site, a high-level meeting was co-ordinated and held at the site between the corporate team from Daktronics headquarters, Irish site leadership and IDA Ireland at the Ennistymon facility.

At that meeting, IDA Ireland provided an overview of supports available to companies to scale, transform and grow operations. I have been informed that IDA Ireland has also requested a skills profile of the site and requested to meet with the CEO of Daktronics to ascertain if anything can be done to secure the future of the site in Clare.

IDA Ireland will await the outcome of the consultation process and, depending on the decision, will continue to engage with the company and work under a cross-agency protocol to ensure that State and local agency supports are available to any impacted employees.

Supports offered by IDA Ireland

IDA Ireland has a long established and ongoing relationship with company leadership at Daktronics, and this includes advising the company of the full suite of IDA Ireland supports, including those available in a scenario where there is a company closure in Ireland.

IDA Ireland has established internal processes for dealing with potential and actual job loss situations with its client companies. IDA Ireland is not directly involved in the statutory process for redundancies as this is led on a case-by-case basis by companies.

IDA Ireland is also fully respectful of the consultation process that may be underway by any company and its employees or representatives following any announcement or proposed announcements.

The types of supports that may be provided include:

• Provision of a detailed skills profile for the site; a talent catchment map and timings for when individuals will be available, provided by the company.

• Identification of other employers who may be hiring across IDA and Enterprise Ireland client companies.

• Sharing of skills profiles with other companies who may be hiring and direct engagement with HR departments, when appropriate through IDA and Enterprise Ireland.

• Briefings by local Department of Social Protection/Intreo officials to impacted employees on social welfare and employment support services to support impacted employees’ transition to new employment opportunities.

• Identification of training and further education opportunities for employees (ETBs; Skillnet; Universities).

• Exploring opportunities to start your own business through Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland.

Collective Redundancy Process

It is important to note that there is a robust legislative framework in place which provides important safeguards for employees who may be impacted by collective redundancies. These rules are set out in the Protection of Employment Act 1977, as amended.

Under the 1977 Act, collective redundancies arise where, during any period of 30 consecutive days, the employees being made redundant are: 5 employees where 21-49 are employed; 10 employees where 50-99 are employed; 10% of the employees where 100-299 are employed; and 30 employees where 300 or more are employed.

Section 9 of the 1977 Act sets out the employer’s obligation to engage in an information and consultation process with employees’ representatives for at least a 30-day period before any notice of redundancy can issue. The 1977 Act specifies that the consultation with employees’ representatives should include the possibility of avoiding the proposed redundancies, reducing the number of employees affected or mitigating their consequences.

To ensure transparency during the collective redundancy process, section 10 of the 1977 Act obliges the employer to provide certain information relating to the proposed redundancies to the employees’ representatives during the consultation.

Under the 1977 Act, the employees’ representatives are defined as:

(a) a trade union, staff association or excepted body with which it has been the practice of the employer to conduct collective bargaining negotiations, or

(b) in the absence of such a trade union, staff association or excepted body, employee(s) who are elected by a group of employees to act as their representative.

This approach reflects the fact that Ireland’s industrial relations system is based on a voluntarist model, which recognises employees have the right under the Constitution to form associations and trade unions and that employers also have the right not to recognise trade unions for collective bargaining purposes.

Under section 12 of the 1977 Act, employers must also notify the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment of the potential redundancies at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes place.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is the organisation which is mandated to secure compliance with employment rights legislation. Employees have the right to refer complaints to the WRC on a wide range of employment law breaches for an adjudication and compensation where appropriate. This includes the right to make a complaint where they believe their employer has failed to fulfil its obligations under the Protection of Employment Act 1977.

This Government remains firmly committed to supporting enterprise and employment in all regions of the country. Through IDA Ireland's strategy, Adapt Intelligently 2025-2029, there is a strong focus on securing further investment and supporting existing client companies across the regions, including in the Mid-West. IDA Ireland's regional teams work closely with companies, local authorities and other stakeholders to strengthen regional enterprise ecosystems and ensure that regional locations remain attractive destinations for investment and growth.