All efforts must be made to secure a buyer for Roche and retain jobs in Clarecastle – Carey

Fine Gael TD for Clare, Joe Carey, has called for all efforts to be made to secure a buyer for Roche and ensure jobs are retained in Clarecastle,

“In November 2015, Roche Ireland, which employs 240 people in Clarecastle, announced that it was beginning a gradual wind down of its operations. Since then intensive efforts have been underway to secure a buyer for the pharmaceutical plant and a number of site visits took place.

“In Clarecastle, there was real hope that a buyer could be found. Every indication made about the potential deal was positive and it was expected that a deal would be secured with a global pharma services company, who had engaged exclusively with Roche over the past two months. Yesterday’s announcement by the company that it had completed discussions without success came as a shock and is hugely disappointing. As did the very bad news that Roche is now going to continue to wind down the company, with closure in at the end of 2018.

“Despite this disappointing news however, I remain optimistic that something can be done. I have already met with the new Minister for Enterprise Mary Mitchell O’Connor and asked her to allocate all necessary resources to help secure another buyer for the plant and retain as many jobs as possible in the area.

“I will be meeting with the IDA tomorrow to discuss this and keep up the pressure. I will also continue to have regular direct contact with Roche management and workers. It is very important that the company keeps the workers and their representatives fully briefed and that the company provides them with all necessary assistance, in this time of uncertainty.

“My thoughts are with the workers and their families and I am committed to doing everything I can to help secure a new buyer and retain jobs in Clarecastle.”