Investment in new Dromone meat plant to create 30 jobs

The prospect of a new meat plant near Oldcastle generating 30 jobs by this coming summer has been warmly welcomed locally this week, after the Department of Agriculture confirmed a grant of €670,093 to the Traditional Meats Company, which plans to export its high-quality beef cuts, mostly to the continent. Pat Reynolds and Sons in Navan will receive €266,889 in funding while Boyne Valley Meats will also benefit to the tune of €359,825. The department"s capital investment programme for marketing provided the grant, in addition to a further €42,285 to Carnaross Mart to upgrade its facilities. The Dublin-based Traditional Meats Company plans to set up in Dromone and process high-quality cuts for export. It will invest €1 million of its own funds in the plant, which has a potential employment of 30 jobs by mid-2009. The news was warmly welcomed by the Oireachtas Agricultural Committee chairman Deputy Johnny Brady, who said the new plant would create significant economic activity in the area. The new enterprise and its backers will be moving from Dublin and recruiting locally at a time when fresh employment opportunities in the Oldcastle area were very welcome, added the Kilskyre TD. He said he understood the plant was set to begin with a workforce of around 25, with the prospect of a further 10 jobs by later in 2009. He also believed the company would be targeting continental European markets and so would not be as exposed as some exporting plants, which provide product for the UK market and so have been hit by the current fall of sterling against the euro. Oldcastle Civic Trust secretary Tommy Mullen also warmly welcomed the news. It came at a time when existing industry in the area has been feeling the recession pinch, making the new job opportunities all the more welcome, he said. It was now some four years since the local Dromone Meats plant (which processed pigmeat) had closed down, and he believed that its facility could be very suitable for the new factory, as it was equipped to very up-to-date processing standards. The town"s Chamber of Commerce has also welcomed the news, which has been predicted to generate an important business boost to the north of the county. Oldcastle president Donna McQuaid said the news was particularly welcome in these challenging times for business and industry. Commenting on the grants, which total €1,339,092, local TD Noel Dempsey said: 'These companies make an important contribution to the economic well being of this county. They provide good jobs and they make a very big difference to the communities where they are based. 'This new investment by Government in Meath is very generous in these very difficult economic times and I have no doubt that it will help to improve the competitiveness of this sector. 'This investment is to facilitate improving processing facilities, improved storage as well as improved handling and marketing facilities which will help to create new employment opportunities during the construction stage. 'It waill also help to support additional jobs in the agricultural food sector, which is extremely important in generating revenue from export earnings,' he said.