Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle as deis a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a thógáil ar an Athló. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a bheith i láthair. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire ar ais go dtí an Dáil an tseachtain seo. Chuir sé isteach go mór orainn an timpist a bhí aige atá seachtain ó shin ach tá lúcháir orainn gur éirigh leis éalú slán. Tá súil orm gur gairid go mbeidh sé i mbarr a shláinte arís.

Tá mé cinnte go bhfuil a fhios ag an Aire go maith an cás fá monarcha Nuvotem. Tá an mhonarcha suite i gCroithlí agus is minic a chuaigh an tAire thar doras ansin agus é ar a gcuairteanna rialta ar Thír Chonaill, agus go speisialta ar Ghaeltachtaí an iar-thuaiscirt. Tá monarcha lonnaithe ansin le breis agus 100 bliain. Tá Nuvotem lonnaithe ansin le 23 bliain, ó 1980.

Buille mór an nuacht seo dos na hoibrithe, agus buille nach raibh siad ag súil leis. Ar 20 Meán Fhomhair dúradh leo go riabh siad á ligint chun bealaigh, go sealadach mar a dúradh ag an am. Tá 11 seachtain imithe ó shin agus tá sé ag cur isteach go mór ar na hoibrithe cad é atá i ndán dóibh. Is beag cumarsáide agus is beag eolais atá le fáil ón gcomhlacht, comhlacht a d'oibrigh siad dó go dícheallach agus go dian ar a shon le blianta anuas.

A lán des na hoibrithe seo, is iad na príomh daoine atá ag saothrú ina gcuid teaghlaigh féin agus tá costaisí agus freagrachtaí orthu maidir le morgáistí agus costais eile. Anois, tá an Nollaig buailte linn agus gan a fhios acu an mbeidh siad ag dul ar ais ag obair nó nach mbeidh. Sin an rud is mó atá ag cur isteach orthu, go bhfuil siad coinnithe ins an dorchadas agus nach bhfuil a fhios acu cad é atá i ndán dóibh. An mbeidh siad ag dul ar ais ag obair nó nach mbeidh?

Tógadh an cheist ag Údarás na Gaeltachta. Thóg mé féin an cheist sa Dáil agus thóg daoine eile í ag an gcomhairle condae. Ach is beag eolais atá faighte agus is beag dul chun cinn atá déanta agus trí mhí imithe.

Nuvotem Crolly is one of the longest established industries in the Donegal Gaeltacht, producing electrical coils and transformers since 1980. It came as a bombshell to the workers on 3 September last that 43 out of a total workforce of 56 were to be laid off until further notice. Many of these workers have given more than 20 years of dedicated and loyal service to the company but have been in a virtual limbo during the past 11 weeks since the decision to have them temporarily laid off.

Since then, it has been almost impossible to get any response from the company. Communications between management and employees are non-existent. This is leading to frustration, anxiety and uncertainty among the workers. The company has two other production centres, one in the Czech Republic and one in India, where production costs are lower than here. However, the Crolly workers have built up tremendous skills and experience over the years and industrial relations in the factory were unblemished and second to none. The employees have foregone a number of wage increases in recent years. The burning question is whether the workers should hold out in the hope of getting their jobs back or seek new employment opportunities. At present they are in the dark.

We are now in the run-up to the Christmas season when there are huge financial demands on parents and families. These 43 workers, many of them the sole breadwinner in their family, are under severe pressure. They need to know what the future holds for them. I ask the Minister, in conjunction with Údarás na Gaeltachta and the management, to break the present impasse. It is intolerable that the situation should be allowed to drift.

Bheinn iontach buíoch don Aire fá aon rud a thig leis le dóchas a thabhairt do na daoine seo iad a chur ar ais ag obair nó malairt fostaíochta a fháil dóibh agus an Nollaig buailte linn.

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