Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I thank Deputy Eamon Ryan for sharing time. I agree with the comments of the three previous speakers. My message is one of solidarity with the workers in Waterford Crystal, both in Dungarvan and Waterford city. These workers have been dumped disgracefully by the management of Waterford-Wedgewood. The jobs and massive salaries of top management are to be preserved and protected, while working people with their families and communities are to be sacrificed. Previous speakers were correct in describing Waterford Crystal as a flagship industry for the south east and for Ireland, but the loss of so many jobs and the down-sizing of its operations further undermine the company and its brand.

I know from workers in the factory that they regard the proposed redundancy package as totally inadequate. It was presented as a fait accompli and adds insult to injury. It is certainly not fair recompense for the loss of jobs and the long service by most of the workers who are being let go. I call on the management to negotiate a proper redundancy package with the work force immediately. Reported falls in sales in the US and the euro-dollar exchange rate have adversely affected the company, but workers have raised serious questions about the management of the business, including over-dependence on the US market and the purchase of ailing ceramic firms in England and Germany.

Successive Governments have lionised the likes of Tony O'Reilly, the non-executive chairman of Waterford-Wedgewood. They have fostered a corporate culture which can freely dump working people like this at will. I call on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to intervene, but not with yet another useless task force. The Government spawned numerous task forces in areas where jobs have been lost in the past, but most of these simply turned out to be PR exercises.

The Minister should ensure, first, that a proper redundancy package is negotiated. Second, he should explore ways to preserve the skills of the workforce and to establish local enterprises or co-operatives that will keep people in employment.

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