FOOD PRODUCTION: BAKED BEAN producer Batchelors has said it will be forced to place 40 of its employees on protective notice next week unless a full water supply is restored to its Dublin plant.
The company said its cannery and beverage plant on Bannow Road in Cabra yesterday evening had insufficient water supplies to continue with production.
Batchelors, which produces beans, canned fruits and vegetables and Squeez orange juice, said it had exhausted its stored water supply last evening and that it would have to cease production for the remainder of the week.
It said this was a period of high demand for canned food and that the situation represented a major blow which was likely to have a serious knock-on effect on its ability to meet customer demand.
Kieran Rumley, Batchelors marketing director, said he had spoken to Dublin City Council which was unable to offer clear guidance as to when full water supplies would resume.
“The significant thing is that we are a major employer in the area and our business is very water-based,” he said.
“We are the second largest water user in the city, so this has hit us badly.”
Mr Rumley said he had worked with the company for 20 years and had never before encountered anything like it.
Meanwhile, Labour TD for Dublin South Central Mary Upton has called for carwashes to be turned off while water supply problems continue.
Ms Upton said she understood that the average carwash used about 150 litres per car, but were still operating in many stricken areas.
“I would urge the operators to turn them off, at least until we get over the worst of the shortages,” she said.
“In fact, local authorities should request these retailers to put a stop to this practise . . . using such a quantity of water to wash a car at a time when some people don’t have enough to make a cup of tea is entirely unacceptable.”
