Meeting to discuss future of C&D plant

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

The workers have also held talks with officials from the Department of Social and Family Affairs to get information on their social-welfare entitlements.

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.

Local representatives say they have already spoken to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment about setting up a taskforce to create alternative jobs in the area.