Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving Deputy Arthur Spring and I the opportunity to bring this matter before the House. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy John Perry.

This matter relates to the future of the 116 employees of the Aetna company in Castleisland who have been involved in consultation talks with the company for the past month concerning salvaging jobs in the company and proper remuneration of employees who might be affected by job losses. Aetna Incorporated is a US Fortune 100 company with headquarters at Hartford, Connecticut. The net profit of the company in 2010 was $1.8 million and its net profit in 2009 was $1.4 million. It has a worldwide workforce of 34,000.

The company has been operating out of its Castleisland base for the past 23 years. It is a highly successful operation with a highly skilled and dedicated workforce. During the consultation process the company held eight meetings with the employees' representatives over a 30 day period. After those meetings the company has made a paltry offer of redundancy payments amounting to two weeks pay per year and a lump sum of six weeks pay. The employees requested the Labour Relations Commission, LRC, to intervene. The LRC has written to the company inviting it to participate in talks immediately.

At this stage, time is of the essence. I urge the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, and the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, to intervene and get Mr. Kieran Mulvey, the chief executive of the LRC, to appoint a chairperson as quickly as possible to resolve the current impasse. The victims are the employees of this company.

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