Vol. 493 No. 3
59 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her Department's estimate of the level of redundancies which have been recently, and will be, a consequence of the merging of agencies to form the new Enterprise Ireland in a few weeks' time. [15908/98]
There have been no recent redundancies as a consequence of the merging of agencies to form Enterprise Ireland. Furthermore, my Department has made no attempt to estimate the level of redundancies, if any, which might be necessary as a consequence of the creation of Enterprise Ireland. This position has been made clear in the numerous consultative meetings that have taken place between senior officials of my Department and union and employee representatives of the three agencies involved.
The question of voluntary redundancies can arise only after the new board and management of Enterprise Ireland have had a chance to assess the overall, and in particular the human, resources available to them in the context of the mandate and mission of the agency.
