Clare's newly appointed Minister For Employment and Small Business says he'll do everything in his power to find a solution to the crisis facing workers at Roche in Clarecastle.
Fine Gael's Pat Breen, who's been appointed Junior Minister at the Department of Jobs says his first task in the role is to try and find an alternative buyer for the plant.
It's the first time in over two decades that the Fine Gael party appointed a Junior Ministry in Clare and with his new position at the Department of Jobs, Pat Breen is facing into a tough task.
The announcement comes on a week where hundreds of people in the greater Ennis area are facing the propect of unemployment when Roche exits its Clarecastle plant.
Minister Breen insists that finding a buyer for the facility is one of his top priorities and he says he'll travel to Roche Headquarters in Switzerland to find a solution if it comes to it.
Meanwhile, all four of Clare's Dáil representatives have met with the IDA to express their deep concern over the Roche announcement.
At the meeting in Dublin, Pat Breen, Joe Carey, Timmy Dooley and Dr Michael Harty spoke of the devastating impact that failure to find an alternative buyer would have on the local economy.
Deputy Timmy Dooley believes there's a willingness within the IDA to find a solution and he's hopeful that an alternative plan will be put in place.
