Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2026
13. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide details of the communication he has had to date with the new owners of a company (details supplied) which employs 1,100 workers in New Ross, County Wexford; if he will give assurances to all employees that their jobs are secure; the plans the new owners have for the company; and if he will undertake to visit New Ross and meet with the workers there. [66772/26]
View answerI ask the Minister to provide details of the communication he has had to date, if any, with the new owners of Integer Holdings Corporation, which employs 1,100 workers in New Ross, County Wexford; if he can give assurance to all employees that their jobs are secure; the plans the new owners have for the company and if he will undertake to visit New Ross and meet the workers there.
I thank the Deputy for his question. He will be aware that in August 2026, KKR announced its intention to acquire Integer Holdings, with the transaction expected to complete later this year. Integer's facility in New Ross is a significant employer in the south east and is an important part of Ireland's internationally recognised medical technologies sector. The company has a long-established presence in the region and continues to make a valuable contribution to the local economy and employment base.
IDA Ireland has confirmed to my Department that it maintains regular and ongoing engagement with Integer, both in Ireland and internationally. Integer New Ross is a valued IDA Ireland client and the agency's medical technologies team continues to engage closely with site leadership in New Ross regarding its ongoing operations, business transformation activities and future development opportunities.
Neither I nor the Minister, Deputy Burke, nor officials in my Department have had direct engagement with KKR on the proposed acquisition. However, IDA Ireland is closely monitoring developments and will continue its proactive engagement with the company as the transaction progresses. As is standard practice, IDA Ireland will remain available to work with both the existing company leadership and any new owners to support investment, innovation, competitiveness and future growth opportunities in Ireland.
As the Deputy will appreciate, questions regarding employment levels, commercial strategy and the future plans of the new owners are ultimately matters for the company itself. It would not be appropriate for me to speculate on operational decisions that have yet to be made or comment on matters that remain the responsibility of the company and its shareholders.
The Government remains firmly committed to supporting enterprise and employment in Wexford and all other regions of the country. Through the IDA's strategy, we have a strong focus on securing further investment and supporting existing client companies across the regions, including the south east.
I thank the Minister of State, but I am somewhat disappointed in that response. As a rural-based public representative, Minister and Deputy himself, he can appreciate the impact a factory employing 1,100 workers in a town like New Ross can have not just on the town itself, but on the entire region.
There is a fear the company that has proposed to buy Integer Holdings Corporation for some €4.9 billion is not in the medical device field. In fact, it is a global investment firm. I believe a pre-emptive strike by the Government to show how seriously it is invested in Integer and its workers is paramount. We cannot say that it is not up to us to make a move in this scenario or area. There are 1,100 workers in New Ross and we need assurances that their employment is secure. We also need to know what this new global investment company's plans are, given it is not a medical device company.
I thank the Deputy again for raising this important matter. I appreciate what a valuable employer Integer is with regard to New Ross and the wider region. However, as I said earlier, let us not over speculate the situation. The IDA stands ready to engage with KKR. It is very important we continue our engagement with the senior leadership team at Integer as that acquisition continues in process. We will closely monitor developments and continue to ensure we have proactive engagement with the company as the transaction progresses. I very much hear the Deputy's concerns but, as is standard practice, the IDA is available and flexible and any new owners will be supported on investment and innovation, competitiveness and future growth opportunities.
I appreciate the Minister of State's concern and his comment that the Government and IDA stand ready. However, it would not do any harm, given the scale of this company, if the Government was to take the first step and meet with the new ownership to find out what its plans are and how much it is going to invest in New Ross, if anything. What are its plans for this huge employer, which is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the entire county of Wexford? This is beyond the pale when it comes to the context of investment in a county like Wexford and a town like New Ross. This is a hugely important employer and we really need to be the ones making the approaches to this global investment fund as new owners to ask, "Are your intentions to remain within the medical device sphere? Are your intentions to invest and continue investing in Integer in New Ross?" We do not want to wait until such a time as it is making the decisions unilaterally. We need to be there to show it our intent and seriousness.
I thank the Deputy for his remarks. I am certainly open, as I am sure the Minister is, to visiting New Ross in the future to engage with existing and future management as part of this operation. Of course, we will continue to engage with our key State agencies, including IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. We will ensure County Wexford continues to be supported. FDI investment has increased by over 15% in the past five years, which shows the level of interest and intent within that region. We will continue to market the IDA business and technology park in Drinagh, as well as Wexford business park in Whitemills. I know Wexford County Council is also related to the advanced planning on the Enniscorthy business and technology park.
We will stand ready to engage at any stage and will ensure IDA Ireland also monitors this transaction as closely as possible.
