“The shocking news of the proposed closure of the Stiefel Laboratories plant in Sligo will demand an immediate and a comprehensive response from Government and State agencies.  However, in the longer term, there is the possibility of applying to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in order to access funding for further training or setting up ones own business".  This was stated by Marian Harkin Independent MEP following the announcement from Stiefel of the closure of its Sligo plant.

She said:- “The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund was set up to help workers who lost their jobs due to the impact of globalisation and the current economic crisis. Workers who are made redundant can access funding for further training, job search initiatives or help while setting up their own business. In order to qualify there must be at least 500 redundancies in a nine month period in a specific sector - in this case the pharmaceutical sector. While there will not be 500 redundancies in Stiefel, these redundancies can be added to any others in the pharmaceutical sector within the BMW region or indeed added to any downstream job losses from suppliers to Stiefel.

“These figures can only be put together when the redundancies start to occur and I have already been in contact with the Regional Assembly to have a look at the regional redundancy figures and monitor them on an ongoing basis so that an application can be made for assistance from the Fund at the appropriate time.

“Last week the Globalisation Working Group, of which I am the sole Irish member, approved a €14 million grant to 2400 dell workers and two other Irish applications from Waterford Glass and SR Technics are in the pipeline. I want to emphasise that this is long term support but if it can be accessed then it could be an opportunity for the redundant workers to access further education or training when the redundancies occur”, Marian Harkin MEP concluded.