250 workers in Waterford face an uncertain future as leading employer Cappoquin Chickens has gone into liquidation, putting all jobs at the company in jeopardy as a result. Fears have been ongoing for the company for some time but recent developments intensified the anxieties of employees, farmers and growers when Cappoquin Chickens went into examinership in late May. The rising costs of business including feed for chickens and cheaper meat imports are just two of the reasons attributed to the situation the company now finds itself in.

Public representatives across the political and social spectrum of Waterford have expressed the level of devastation that liquidation of the poultry company could do to the West Waterford economy.

David Lane of Siptu, speaking to Waterford Today from the Cappoquin location on Monday, said that the union became aware that the company would be going into liquidation on Friday evening and that he and other Siptu representatives met with the Liquidator on Monday morning last. Mr. Lane said that the union has 150 members working at the plant but that there was an overall workforce of 250 people.

Mr. Lane was among many who say that any closure of the Cappoquin Chickens will have a devastating effect on West Waterford and East Cork and that any potential buyers for Cappoquin Chickens would have to make themselves known ‘very quickly' in order to save the jobs there.

However, Waterford IFA Chairman, Michael Keane also said that the crisis facing Cappoquin Chickens would have a knock on effect for all concerned, particularly for chicken farmers and farmers who also produce feed for the company. He called on national politicians to ‘get stuck in' on the crisis as farmers and staff staged a rally outside the plant on Monday. When asked who the rally will be aimed at, Mr. Keane said that it was aimed at the liquidator and government politicians.

The Waterford IFA Chairman also said that it was a question on whether the government truly wanted ‘an indigenous chicken industry' in Ireland.

Meanwhile, Siptu's David Lane said that the government had ‘stood back and done effectively nothing' while the crisis continued.

The farming community chicken growers held a rally at Cappoquin on Monday afternoon (4pm) while releasing a statement syaing that ‘dubious' imports were undermining the poultry sector in the country. The same statement, on behalf of the IFA office in Kilkenny stated that in countries such as Brazil and Thailand, the quality assurances on exports are not as stringent as in Ireland, thus making those imports damaging to domestic producers.

The political parties in opposition have been quick off the mark to criticise the current government in the wake of the closure. Sinn Fein City Councillor, David Cullinane and Fine Gael Senator, Paudie Coffey both made written statements which were highly critical of government performance but also signalling that the government had a responsibility to assist the staff whose jobs are at risk.

For reaction, the office of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coghlan was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of going to print.



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