O’Keeffe: People misled over Amgen jobs

OUTSPOKEN Fianna Fáil backbencher Ned O’Keeffe yesterday once again criticised the Government, blaming it for raising false hopes about the proposed 1,100 Amgen jobs.

Speaking yesterday after the American biotechnology giant announced it was indefinitely postponing plans to locate its European HQ in east Cork, Mr O’Keeffe accused his own Government and its ministers of painting a rosy picture of the prospects of Amgen locating there in contradiction of all the available evidence.

“The people of Cork East were misled during the General Election,” he told the Irish Examiner.

“At no time was Amgen ever coming to Ireland in the past two years. It had substantial losses in the US and had encountered difficulties with the regulator there, the Food and Drug Administration [over some of its new products].”

Mr O’Keeffe said he was the only FF TD to warn about the possible withdrawal of Amgen, notwithstanding election promises by the Government.

In January of this year, the two Cork-based ministers at the Department of Enterprise and Employment, Michéal Martin and local TD Michael Ahern, announced the creation of 1,100 jobs at Amgen. Mr O’Keeffe’s comments suggest it was known then it was not going to happen.

By April, the Californian multinational was saying it was delaying its plans for two years. Mr Martin insisted he was still confident the company’s plans to locate in east Cork would go ahead.

This is the second time in a week Mr O’Keeffe has found himself at loggerheads with his own government.

On Monday, he was carpeted by chief whip Tom Kitt for failing to turn up for crucial votes last week, one of which (the Shannon Airport debate) the Government won by a single vote.

Mr O’Keeffe refused to discuss that yesterday, but it is believed his “rebellion” stemmed from grievances that include being overlooked for a junior ministry by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Labour’s enterprise spokesman Willie Penrose pointed out that millions had been spent in attracting Amgen to locate in Cork.

“The taxpayers are also entitled to clarification from Mr Martin as to what grants or other financial supports have been provided to Amgen to date and what is the position now in regard to these payments.”