Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004
291 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the job losses at a company (details supplied) in Rosslare; if he has been contacted by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources regarding same; the action he has taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29138/04]
View answerI understand from the company in question that it intends to cease its Rosslare-France service no later than 30 November, 2004. The company informed its staff on the MV Normandy on 20 October, 2004. I understand that in making the announcement, the company proposed an enhanced voluntary redundancy-early retirement package or the opportunity to redeploy to ships on its three Ireland-UK routes. I further understand that these options were proposed in order to avoid compulsory redundancies. However, these options were subject to co-operation with the company’s full proposals which also include restarting the French route with a lower crew cost and new crew from March 2005.
The company has advised me that in the event of consultations with the unions being unsuccessful, it will be operating a collective redundancy of 125 permanent staff, 25 long-term temporary staff, and upwards of 48 seasonal short term staff, at the end of the month.
The Government has an interest in maintaining in operation Irish Continental Group's Ireland to France service, manned if possible by Irish seafarers. Its endeavours will be directed at encouraging the maintenance of the service. Primary responsibility for this area rests with the Minister and Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, both of whom are keeping in touch with events.
