Naughten "deeply disappointed" with enterprise committee's response to Aptar job losses

Local TD Denis Naughten has said he's “deeply disappointed” that the Western Region Enterprise Committee has failed to specifically consider the pending job losses at Aptar in Ballinasloe, despite a request to do so by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

“In June, I asked the Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, to bring together all the State agencies and the two Local Authorities in Galway and Roscommon, to implement a co-ordinated strategy for the town and the surrounding communities,” stated Denis Naughten.

“I made this request on the basis that Ballinasloe always seems to be just one positive decision away from unlocking its full potential.

“I pointed out to the Tánaiste that what was now needed is a very focused co-ordination group of all the State bodies to come together over the next four weeks not just to work with the management of Aptar but to explore the full potential of the St. Brigid’s Hospital campus.

“I received a positive response to this request on July 14, when the Tánaiste told the Dáil, ‘I am asking the West Regional Enterprise Committee, on which the key agencies and local authorities are represented, to consider all scenarios in relation to this company’.

“However, in a further reply to me yesterday (Tuesday), it now seems that Aptar was not specifically discussed at the Western Region Enterprise Committee meeting on July 31, and there is no clear indication that Aptar, or the town of Ballinasloe, was on yesterday’s committee meeting agenda either.

“It is unacceptable that the plight of job creation in Ballinasloe has not been discussed by this high-level enterprise committee, particularly when the committee was requested to do so by its line-Minister, An Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar.

“I will raise this issue again in the Dáil next week, and I hope we can see very focused action by the State’s enterprise agencies on new job creation in Ballinasloe after the loss of 115 jobs at Aptar,” concluded Denis Naughten.