Sugar factory closure will not affect EU talks, says Coughlan
Beet growers, workers, and politicians, including Minister of State Tom Parlon, have claimed the decision by Irish Sugar, part of Greencore, was pre-emptive and would undermine the Minister in the negotiations now underway in Brussels.
“My view, and that of those I have spoken to and from whom I have taken advice, is that this in no way undermines, from a sugar beet point of view, the negotiations that will take place,” Ms Coughlan said.
Minister Coughlan was replying to a Fine Gael motion in the Seanad, which called on the company to reverse the Carlow plant closure decision and to take no other such actions until the EU reforms are concluded. It also urged her to resist any EU proposals that would threaten the long-term viability of sugar beet growing in Ireland.
She said that, along with nine other EU member states, she signed a letter to the European Commissioner for Agriculture stating that the reform proposals would have a devastating effect on farms and the industrial enterprises working in the sector.
“We accept the necessity to reform the existing regime but feel that the reform should aim at maintaining the existing distribution of sugar beet and sugar production in the entire EU territory,” she said.
Ms Coughlan said she is conscious that Greencore’s decision to close its plant in Carlow, with the loss of 189 full-time and 137 “campaign” jobs, came as a shock to many people.
She said the decision to close the Carlow plant was a commercial one taken by the company in the light of the increasing competition in the sugar sector.
Ms Coughlan also said she anticipates difficult and protracted negotiations on the reform proposals. Her overall objective will be to protect the viability of sugar beet growing and processing in this country.
