Fianna Fáil has called upon the Taoiseach and other Mayo based Government representatives to meet the 60 Irish Pride workers who are set to lose their jobs. On Friday it was announced by Kieran Wallace and Shane McCarthy, the joint receivers for Irish Pride Bakeries, that they had negotiated the sale of the majority of the Irish Pride Bakeries' assets to Pat the Baker, but the transaction did not include the Irish Pride plant in Ballinrobe which would see its operations wound down as a result with the redundancy consultation beginning for those effected.
Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan said: "This is a major blow to Ballinrobe and the local economy. Irish Pride has been a hugely important employer in the area for decades. It is extremely disappointing that the Mayo operation is being lost as the business is sold off. We will now be left an empty shell of a factory in Ballinrobe where there once was a busy manufacturing operation providing valuable employment.”
Deputy Dara Calleary added: "We are also calling on the Taoiseach to set up a meeting between his officials, local elected representatives, the local authority, the IDA, and Enterprise Ireland without delay to find a way forward for the town given the urgency of the situation.” Meanwhile Deputy Éamon Ó'Cuív whose Galway West constituency now takes Ballinrobe said: "Given that this is happening in the Taoiseach’s own back yard and many of those losing their jobs are his constituents, I am calling on him to meet with the workers directly. This is an extremely distressing time for the 60 employees and their families. They need to see some leadership from Enda Kenny, who will be acutely aware of the impact of this news on Mayo economy.”
