Co-op transfer a ‘snob decision’
Former Food Minister Ned O’Keeffe made the claim when announcing that Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin will travel to Mitchelstown tomorrow for crisis talks with local interests about the growing job losses in the co-op.
“This is a snob decision to go to Cork City Business Park. There is no doubt in my mind about it. It is just for snob value. It is a backward step,” he said, pointing out that Mitchelstown and Mallow are well located towns with a good infrastructure.
“I fail to understand what is going on,” he said, claiming that both workers and farmers are being pushed around by Dairygold.
He also called for the setting up in Mitchelstown of a representative action group to work together.
While Dairygold insisted that no job losses are envisaged as a result of the latest move, Mitchelstown Business Association (MBA) chairman Tony Lewis said it was in reality redundancy by stealth.
He said it was not good enough for a company with its roots based firmly in the local community to dismantle its business in such a way and to disengage and move off to Cork Business Park.
Mr Lewis, speaking on County Sound 103FM, said it was time for serious reflection by the co-op’s management and particularly by the board, who have remained ominously silent through all of this process.
Mr Lewis said he hoped there would be serious engagement by the Government very shortly. There has to be a fast-track focus looking at the infrastructural, enterprise and community support for Mitchelstown to get it through this crisis.
He said the MBA would be impressing upon Mr Martin that it can’t be listening to promises any more and that action was required.
