Jobs blow as creamery closes

Tanker-loads of milk are delivered to the creamery

Almost 80 jobs are to be lost with the closure of a County Fermanagh creamery, in what is the latest in a series of economic blows for the area.

Fermanagh Creameries in Lisnaskea, outside Enniskillen, is to close by the end of the year, probably before Christmas.

The announcement comes on the back of redundancies in the textile and pork industry in the county.

Fermanagh Creameries, which produces cheese, has been based in Lisnaskea since 1972 and currently employs 78 people.

It is owned by the UK's largest dairy food company, the Dairy Crest Group who have said the closure is due to reorganisation within the group.

Dairy Crest described the decision as "regrettable" and said they recognised the impact it would have on staff and their families.

Tommy Gallagher: "Crushing blow"

SDLP assembly member Tommy Gallagher said the news was a "crushing blow" for the entire south Fermanagh area.

He said trade and business in the area had already been "badly hit because of currency differences".

"It is therefore all the more important that government agencies respond quickly and positively to replace the job losses announced," he said.

Mr Gallagher is meeting representatives of the Industrial Development Board later on Thursday and has called on them to set up a jobs task force.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry McHugh, who supplies milk to the creamery, said he was "personally gutted by this unfortunate news of the loss of another major employer in Fermanagh".

"Overall over the past two years Fermanagh has seen approxinately 700 jobs disappear," he said.

Just six weeks ago, the clothing company Desmonds announced it was making 130 people redundant.

The firm is stopping production at its factory in Enniskillen with the loss of 118 full-time and 17 part-time jobs.

Earlier this year, the Unipork factory in the area closed with the loss of 200 jobs.