A Monaghan poultry firm announced yesterday it was in voluntary liquidation, with the loss of over 300 jobs.
The Department of Agriculture shut the MCP factory in August after their inspectors found it was not up to EU hygiene and construction standards, and withdrew their licence. Three hundred factory employees and over 100 ancillary workers were laid off. The factory reopened briefly but was forced to close again.
In a brief statement the managing director of MCP, Mr Barry McEntee, said: "The company was forced into voluntary liquidation because the Department decided that a company revival plan was not considered viable and the banks have withdrawn their support".
He thanked what he called a dedicated and vigilant workforce, many of whom were there since his father's time over 30 years ago. He added that a creditors' meeting would be held shortly.
SIPTU branch secretary for the region, Mr Jim Mullary said: "I am not surprised at the decision but I am very disappointed as are the workers." SIPTU will hold a workers' meeting at the factory on Saturday week.
Mr Mullary admitted a preferred option would be if another interested party took over, but said at present his members were the preferential creditors for statutory redundancy.
He added he would be meeting SIPTU's legal and economic advisers so he could have answers to the many questions his members would be rightly asking.
It is believed that MCP faces enormous debts to poultry growers, hatcheries, hauliers and factory staff. At its peak MCP was processing up to 250,000 chickens per week.