Dozens of jobs in counties Monaghan and Down are under threat as a result of a decision by dairy processing co-op, Lakeland Dairies, to close a number of its facilities. Building on the experience of over a century, Lakeland Dairies is one of the key drivers of dairy industry growth in Ireland, providing a sound economic base for producers and laying the groundwork for continuing decades of innovation and progress. Historical Overview:

Having come through the difficult years of World War 1 and the post war years under the management of John Daly who steered Lough Egish to heights its founders could only have dreamed of, construction of a new creamery commenced in July 1929 and a year later on 7th July 1930 the new creamery was opened. Each business unit is supported by an experienced and professional leadership team from operations, procurement and information technology through to marketing, financial services and human resources.This ensures competitiveness and commitment throughout the Group. Avocado: mash the avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice, Tabasco and seasoning. Add 25g of the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of the Pour & More Single and beat until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. While this is a difficult decision, it is a crucial one to ensure that Lakeland Dairies is future-proofed and well-positioned to meet the challenges as well as the opportunities of the future."As well as catering directly for domestic consumption, Lakeland Dairies exports large volumes of dairy produce to the UK, Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and other international markets. Minister Humphreys said social protection officials will engage directly with the company and ensure all available supports are put in place, including opportunities to retrain and reskill. Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys said supports will be put in place to assist workers impacted by today's decision. The co-op has begun a process of engagement and consultation with staff and unions about the potential for redundancies, with exact numbers to be confirmed at a later time. The industry has come through a period of significant volume growth following the removal of milk quotas in 2015," said Mr Kelly.

Cucumber and mint: finely grate the cucumber, and drain in a sieve. Beat 25g of the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of the Pour & More Single together until smooth then stir in the cucumber and chopped mint. Season to taste. Lough Egish Society was the pioneer of ‘bulk collection’ on the island of Ireland. 1990 - Agreement to Merge As a business, we continually assess how we can take long-term strategic decisions that will benefit the Society for this and subsequent generations.

Remove from the heat, add the Pour & More Single and plenty of seasoning. Stir well and spoon into a 23cm pie dish and leave the filling to cool slightly. By unanimous decision of the shareholders at their half-yearly meeting held on 25th March 1898 the name of the Society was changed with ‘Killeshandra’ replacing ‘Drummully’ in the title. 1902 - Lough Egish Co-Op is founded The processing capacity of Lakeland Dairies was increased significantly with the commissioning of a new 7 tonne per hour drying plant in Bailieborough. This expansion further enabled Lakeland Dairies to meet the growing demands of its international customer base for the highest quality milk powders. 2014 – October – Further Expansion of Milk Drying Capacity Approved As well as serving our home markets, Lakeland Dairies exports large volumes of dairy produce to the UK, Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and other international markets worldwide. The Group is also a leading provider of dairy produce to Ireland's Kerrygold brand. Our Foodservice Division,is a sophisticated dairy foodservice operation with automated, modern production technologies. We offer highly appealing, value-added dairy products for use in food preparation and direct use by our clients’ consumers throughout the international foodservice industry.

We work tirelessly to ensure that every drop of quality milk is used to make a range of high quality, convenient products. Brands such as Millac and Comelle created in the 1950’s are successful examples of our pioneering approach to adding value to skimmed milk. Originally a waste product from producing cream and butter, skimmed milk was re-imagined to create exciting alternative products with lovely, mouth-watering taste and maximum functional benefits for professional chefs, and in turn, supporting them to reduce their waste.

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Separately, milk drying facilities at Lough Egish in Co Monaghan, where over 20 people work, are also to close in June of next year. The move is part of a new strategy that will see the business restructured to make it more efficient ahead of the next decade, which the co-op said will be different from the current one. Cultured buttermilkis traditionally used for home-made bread such as wheatens, soda breads and pancakes. Instead, milk will continue to be processed at Lakeland Dairies Bailieboro, Killeshandra, Newtownards, Ballyrashane and Artigarvan. As well as the Champion and Ballyrashane brands, liquid milk is supplied to high-profile retail chains across the island.