Vol. 244 No. 8
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in relation to the proposed closure of a firm (name supplied) in Naas whether his Department were informed of the company's intention to close down; and whether he is aware that no satisfactory notice relating to the close down was received by the employees concerned.
36.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will make a statement concerning the impending closure of a firm (name supplied) in Naas, County Kildare employing seventy workers.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 36 together.
My Department was informed towards the end of January, 1970, that a meeting between the management of the firm in question and the trade union concerned had been arranged for February 6th, at which it would be announced that the mill would be closed because it was uneconomic to operate. I understand that the notice given to the workers meets the requirements of the Redundancy Payments Act.
I appreciate that the situation is a serious one for the workers concerned but I understand that the number of unfilled vacancies in other industries in the area offers reasonable prospects for their early re-employment.
The desirability of attracting a new industry to Naas has been brought to the attention of the Industrial Development Authority.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary consider it satisfactory that the absolute minimum notice should have been given to these workers and can he explain why the Minister refused to meet a separate trade union delegation from the trade union concerned — the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union — a very short time ago to discuss the redundancy problem?
In so far as giving notice to workers is concerned, I understand that about 50 odd were given the minimum two weeks' notice by the company and there were nine others who were given longer notice. I also understand that the Minister early on met a deputation in Naas in connection with the closing of the factory.
I am referring to the fact that the Minister notified the trade union concerned that he was quite willing to receive a deputation in Kildare Street and, when the deputation arrived, it was informed it would have to be part of a general deputation, with constituency politicians, and the deputation quite rightly refused to meet the Minister. The Minister refused, contrary to the practice of every Minister for Industry and Commerce down through the years, to meet a separate trade union delegation to discuss what I regard as the scandalous notification of two weeks to 50 workers and their families in the Naas area.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say how long this company was established and what, if any, State assistance was given?
I am afraid the Deputy will have to ask a separate question on that.
It is a separate question.
