I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment this evening. I spoke in the House some time ago about the problems of De Beers at Shannon Airport. As I said then, De Beers is the most important industrial employer in the Shannon Industrial Estate. There are approximately 600 people now employed there, and wages and fringe benefits to the local economy amount to approximately £46 million per annum.
In recent times the company has been subjected to severe competition when the Shannon plant found itself competing within its own structure, within the De Beers family, in addition to competition from the United States, Japan, Korea, other eastern countries, including Romania and France. This has meant that the management at Shannon found it necessary to restructure their entire operation. Some painful decisions have been taken, with goodwill being expressed by both sides. I have always had great admiration for the way in which the De Beers staff and management have solved their difficulties. The company are a model in industrial relations.
There is a slight hiccup there at present. My purpose in raising this matter is to urge the Government to become a facilitator, or persuader, in this case. I understand that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions have already taken an interest in the resolution of this difficulty. I shall be interested to hear what the Minister has to say about the moves already undertaken in this respect. The House will recall that when I raised this matter here before I was told about the jobs protection unit within the Department. It had been my hope that some scheme would be devised so that talks between management and union would resolve the difficulties. I do not want to exacerbate the situation — I know it is a very delicate one — but I should appreciate the Government taking an obvious, active interest in the case.
