A Tipperary T.D. is calling for direct government intervention to save jobs at Dawn Fresh Foods in Fethard.
The company announced a phased closure of its food-processing plant by the end of the year.
It blamed declining demand for ready-made meals and higher input costs for the closure.
Independent T.D. Mattie McGrath says this is the first major test for Junior Minister Tom Hayes to create a breathing space for this indigenous company to recover from the impact of the horsemeat scandal.
Deputy McGrath says the intervention must be directed at the highest level and not just fall back on the usual platitudes about task forces and so on.
