Staff and management to discuss future of C&D plant

Staff and management at the C&D Foods factory in Co Longford are due to hold talks today to discuss the future of the facility.

The pet-food plant in Edgeworthstown was extensively damaged in a major fire in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Management is expected to be forced to temporarily lay off the 500-strong workforce as the canning section of the factory, which makes up most of the production line, was completely destroyed.

There are also fears for the long-term survival of jobs if C&D loses its contracts to process own-brand products for leading Irish and British supermarket chains.

Initial estimates put the cost of rebuilding at around €25m.

The factory is due to be forensically examined today to determine the cause of the fire.