I warmly welcome the major jobs announcement for Waterford and the south east, which has just been announced. Glanbia Ingredients Ireland is to build a state-of-the-art facility in Belview on the Waterford-Kilkenny border. The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister said 1,600 jobs will be created in the south-east region. There will be 450 construction jobs and 1,600 part-time and full-time jobs through a combination of jobs at the facility and increased dairy output in the south east. This must be seen as a very good news story for a region which has suffered very badly because of the jobs crisis. As the Leader, who is from Waterford, will know, we have taken a lot of knocks and heavy hits over the past number of years, so a major announcement such as this must be welcomed by everybody. It will obviously be good for the farmers in the south east, for rural communities, which have suffered because of the economic downturn, and for everybody in Waterford and the south east in that it will give the region a lift and will create jobs, which is what it needs. Hopefully, this will be the start of a lot more to come for Waterford and the south east. I commend all of those involved, including Government representatives and, of course, the company for its vote of confidence in the Waterford site, which is a very important one, and in the south-east region.

I would like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the Barry and Blaney families. The late Deputies Barry and Blaney gave great service to this country and to public life over many years. May they rest in peace.

Senator Cullinane mentioned Waterford and the south east but I remind him that the plant is being built in County Kilkenny. Glanbia is a Kilkenny company with worldwide distribution. It is welcome news that 1,600 jobs will be created and that there will be 450 jobs in construction, which will start on 17 May. It is great to see Sinn Féin coming into the House with a positive message for a change. I compliment Glanbia and Enterprise Ireland on this major investment. Hopefully, it will have a benefit for rural Ireland, for farmers and for the people involved in small industries such as providing trucks to bring the milk to the plant.

I listened to the Opposition with its populist politics. If Senator Leyden knew anything about agriculture, he would know that the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine is doing all he can in regard to the fodder crisis.