A motion of censure condemning the decision by the office equipment manufacturer, Xerox, to establish a base in Dundalk, Co Louth, while seeking redundancies at its premises in England and the Netherlands, was adopted by the European Parliament last night.
The resolution calling on the European Commission "to end situations by which the Union and member-states directly and indirectly subsidise relocation within the Union", was tabled by two British Labour MEPs - Mr Glyn Ford and Mr Ian White - and six Dutch MEPs.
Xerox plans to employ 1,450 people at a 100-acre manufacturing plant in Dundalk and a further 700 at its support services centre in Blanchardstown, Co Dublin.
The motion notes that the move to Ireland, which is occurring as part of a global restructuring plan to cut 9,000 jobs, will have "a major impact on the local and regional economies" of Mitcheldean, England, and Venray, the Netherlands.
It calls on the Commission to report to the Parliament on whether "the conditions offered to Xerox Corporation by the authorities in Ireland are in accordance with EU laws and regulations".
But an IDA Ireland spokesman said grants provided by the development agency came from the Exchequer rather than from Europe and EU competition guidelines had not been breached in attracting Xerox to Dundalk. "We won it by fair and equal play," he said.
He said Xerox's move to Ireland was part of a global restructuring being undertaken over three years and there were no compulsory redundancies among Xerox staff in England and the Netherlands. Mr Bill Goode, deputy managing director of Xerox Europe, stated that the company was "one of the most integrated and responsible multinational companies operating in the EU".
