Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important issue, the imminent closure of the SR Technics facility in north County Dublin and the knock-on effects the loss of 1,100 jobs will have on north and west Dublin and the adjoining areas.

I am appalled at the treatment SR Technics has meted out to its employees both in its refusal to honour its commitments in the pension fund and in the paltry redundancy offer it has made. It is clear SR Technics has an agenda relating to Dublin Airport which involves closing down a potentially viable operation, if necessary changes were made, and shifting its business to the Middle East and Far East. My party leader, Deputy Enda Kenny, and a number of our spokespersons have visited the facility. I have been impressed by the positive role of the workers and unions in SR Technics. It has been interesting to see how that union in the public sector refuses to accept even modest reforms and cuts while the same union in the private sector has been so proactive in trying to save jobs and an industry by putting forward a cost saving plan, offering to take pay cuts and redundancies and offering to change work practices. It behoves the Government and the Minister to do everything they can to sustain this industry and save as many of the jobs as possible.

I understand a number of companies have expressed an interest in taking over SR Technics but we have yet to hear any detail about it from the Government. I hope to hear such detail tonight, in particular about what measures the Government will put in place to support a new buyer or management buy-out if that is possible. Obviously, the Government should not put itself in a position where it is obliged to bail out every industry in the State, iconic or otherwise, but where supports can be offered, they should be offered. Furthermore, where supports would be offered to a foreign direct investor, there is no reason that similar supports could not be offered to a management buy-out team or a similar investor who might be in a position to save this industry and these jobs.

This is not the type of industry that will bounce back after a recession. If we lose this aviation maintenance industry in north County Dublin, it will not return when the economy recovers in a few years. I wish to impress on the Government the urgency of the situation and the importance that it does everything it can to save this industry and as many jobs in SR Technics as possible.

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