Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I thank Deputies Nash, Terence Flanagan and Kirk for raising this matter. This is the second time in the space of a year that Vodafone and its operations have become the subject of a Topical Issue Debate in this House.

I am very conscious of the anxiety that the proposed transfer of the 290 agency posts and 27 direct Vodafone posts to Teleperformance creates for the workers and their families, as well as the local communities.

Vodafone Ireland announced on Thursday, 22 March that it had completed a review of the company's current contracted mobile call-centre operations. The company has stated that following this review, it will be adopting a new model for its mobile customer care, resulting in a move to a new provider, Teleperformance, which is headquartered in Newry. Rigney Dolphin was the previous provider of this service at Vodafone's offices in Dundalk. I am informed that Teleperformance currently provides a variety of care and support services to the Vodafone Group in a range of other markets, including the UK. I understand that this change has arisen out of Vodafone's ongoing review of customer care. As part of the changes, 27 Vodafone roles and 290 contract roles currently provided by Rigney Dolphin, will transfer to Teleperformance. I am informed that the transfer will be under a transfer of undertakings, protection of employment arrangement. I understand that Vodafone Ireland and Rigney Dolphin are currently entering a six-week consultation process with employee representatives, prior to the new arrangements taking effect. and that at the end of this period, Vodafone envisages there will be a direct transfer to Teleperformance of these employees within their current roles. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this point. Rigney Dolphin will remain a provider to Vodafone Ireland for its call centre sales and fixed care functions. I hope that the parties concerned will use this period to ensure there is meaningful dialogue about the company's proposals.

It is a core priority of the Government to retain and create the maximum number of jobs in the State. I would strongly encourage the parties in this case to explore to the fullest extent, whatever possibilities remain to retain jobs in the State. If there is anything that the Government or its agencies can meaningfully do to assist in this regard, there will be no hesitation on our part. Notwithstanding the ongoing efforts on minimising the impact of the Vodafone decision, I wish to assure the House that the State enterprise agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, and Louth County Enterprise Board, will continue to make every effort possible to develop new employee opportunities for Dundalk.

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