IFA denies claims over sugar plant closure

THE Irish Farmers Association yesterday rejected any suggestions that it had accepted the closure of Carlow Sugar Factory by Irish Sugar, part of the Greencore group.

It followed the publication of a leaked memo sent to Irish Sugar chief executive Dr Sean Brady by the company’s Dublin-based public relations company, Keating and Associates.

The memo suggested that the IFA privately accepted that the closure decision was the right one but that it had to be seen to react, do a bit of posturing and that it had to say something.

Confirming he had written the memo, Pat Keating, of Keating and Associates, said it was a personal opinion not intended to offend anyone. His opinion could be right or entirely wrong.

IFA Sugar Beet Section chairman Jim O’Regan refuted any suggestion that the IFA was in agreement with the closure. Prior to the announcement of the decision, the IFA stated it would oppose any pre-emptive move by Irish Sugar ahead of EU negotiations. Carlow IFA chairman John Kehoe warned Greencore not to underestimate the anger in the South-East over what he described as the company’s devastating decision to shut the factory.

Mr Kehoe predicted a strong turnout at a march in Carlow next Tuesday by farmers, workers, road hauliers and local businesses, rejecting the factory closure decision. “It is clear that Greencore is feeling the heat in Carlow and across the country for pulling the plug on the factory and the entire community after 80 years and for undermining Ireland’s negotiating position on EU sugar reform.”

Meanwhile, Irish Sugar reiterated that there is no prospect of survival for sugar production in Ireland for the foreseeable future unless the consolidation of production is successfully achieved in one processing plant in Mallow ahead of the 2005 beet processing campaign.

Chief executive Dr Sean Brady said, while it is understandable, the unavoidable decision to close the Carlow facility has caused some upset, the stark reality of the situation must be acknowledged by all parties. “We are not in a position where we can afford to simply stand still and wait for sugar regime reform. Our major competitors in Europe are not waiting. They are cutting costs and aggressively targeting markets such as ours well in advance of reform. We must respond to this threat now or the very existence of a viable sugar manufacturing industry in Ireland will be undermined within a few years.”