asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware of 200 workers becoming redundant in a Dublin paper mills; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Paper Mills.
18.
I am aware of forthcoming redundancies at a Dublin paper mills. The redundancies are due to take place in June next and will arise from a decision to close down the board mill section of the company.
I have met representatives of the workers concerned and I have been in contact with the Minister for Industry and Commerce and the IDA. The IDA have had talks with the management of the company who stated that the decision to close down the particular section of the mill involving the redundancy of between 170 and 190 workers is irreversible.
The IDA, however, propose to discuss the closure with the parent group in the USA and to investigate with them the possibilities of setting up a new mill in Ireland.
In relation to the redundancies at Killeen Paper Mills, can the Minister indicate if this will be the end of the redundancies? There are grave fears among the remainder of the employees that further redundancies will take place in the near future. Has the Minister any information about the overall plan for redundancies or is this just the first instalment?
The proposed redundancies I am acquainted with relate solely to the board mill.
Is the Minister aware of where that decision was taken? Was it taken in the United States? If so, did he ask the Taoiseach on his recent visit there to make contact with the company to try to reverse the decision the Minister said is irreversible?
Presumably the parent company had something to do with this decision.
In view of the fact that the Minister for Industry and Commerce and the Taoiseach were on a fairly comprehensive tour, was any effort made to ensure that consideration would be given to keeping the personnel in this industry or were they completely disregarded on that tour?
As the Deputy is aware, the visit of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Industry and Commerce and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the United States was very successful in terms of the announcements made subsequently on the completion of negotiations which will give to this country 3,000 new jobs.
It is more important that we have announcements about jobs that might take place——
There is no might about it; they will take place.
——rather than jobs——
I am calling the next question.
The callousness of the Minister for Labour in relation to the employment of people in the Dublin area——
Deputy Dowling is making a statement that is not in order.
The great worry of the Opposition is that the recession is ending.
The Minister has no regard for people who are about to be put on the dole.
Scavenging and political opportunism are all I can detect from the other side.
(Interruptions.)
Order. A final supplementary from Deputy Fitzgerald.
What is wrong with the Minister today? He is like a bag of cats.
May I have your permission, Sir, to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the failure of the Minister for Labour to communicate, as promised, with the workers of a shoe factory in Cork scheduled for final closure tomorrow afternoon?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I hope the Deputy gets the question. If he does, he will hear a few facts from me on the kind of political opportunism he has been indulging in at the expense of those workers.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 19.
Let the Minister stand his ground.
That has no bearing on Question Time.
I will ignore that. It is typical of the man.
(Interruptions.)
Order, next question.
I heard——
Would Deputy Meaney allow Question Time to continue? Question No. 19.
Is Deputy Fitzgerald getting the question?
I heard the Deputy's request and I will communicate with him.
Will the Minister stay on after five?
On a point of order——
Is the Minister willing to come in here and——
Order. Will Deputy Meaney please resume his seat? Deputy Murphy on a point of order.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister made a very serious allegation against a Deputy on this side of the House and I would ask the Chair to refer it to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The Deputy should not be frivolous.
(Interruptions.)
His frivolity in all walks of life is well known.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister will be known as the Minister for Redundancies.
The Deputy obviously has the time to watch television.