I cannot tell Greencore what to do - Coughlan

The Minister for Agriculture, Ms Coughlan, was urged to seek to have the proposed closure of the Greencore sugar factory in Carlow postponed until next year.

Mr Jack Wall (Labour, Kildare South) said this would allow everyone concerned to get to grips with what would be a major change in the industrial infrastructure of Carlow.

"The Minister stated there are 326 jobs involved, but the impact of this decision will be far greater than that when account is taken of the ancillary jobs at stake," he added.

Ms Coughlan said she was not in a position to tell Greencore what to do, but she urged the farming community and its representatives to take a professional view and negotiate on behalf of their electorate, the sugar beet growers, to ensure the best possible deal to facilitate the transportation and collection of their sugar beet.

"I will not be in a position, regardless of whether I have a golden share, to tell the board of Greencore what to do with regard to the day-to-day management and working of the company," Ms Coughlan added.

She said members might not be aware that 20 per cent of the sugar consumed in the Republic was not manufactured here, and in that regard she was sure a commercial decision was being made.

The Fine Gael spokesman on agriculture, Mr Denis Naughten said the Minister should intervene to ensure farmers did not have to pay the additional transportation costs associated with the transport of beet to Mallow.

He added that the golden share did not seem to be worth anything if Greencore was not even prepared to do the Minister the courtesy of letting her know it was about to dispose of more than 20 per cent of the company's assets, as it was legally bound to do.

Ms Coughlan said it was important to clarify the position of the golden share.

It affected the disposal of the controlling interest in Irish Sugar or the sugar assets and prevented a single shareholder or group of shareholders acting together to gain control of Greencore.

"We are not at that level," she added.

Pressed further by deputies, the Minister said there were two basic parts to the issue.

"One is to ensure that all support possible in the context of a replacement industry is provided to Carlow town and the other is to ensure that the farming community is facilitated in the transportation of its beet.

"I am sure the farming community and its representatives will be in consultation and negotiation with the company to ensure that those who have to transport beet further than heretofore will be facilitated," she added.