Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

One aspect of the proposed redundancies in Cavan has been brought to my attention. I happen to know a few of the employees in the claims division of the company. I understand that between 30 and 40 staff comprise the claims department in the Cavan office. Their role is being relocated to Blanchardstown. The decision does not make sense to someone outside the company, particularly to the employees in that division. It would be very difficult for those people to relocate. Many of them live west of Cavan town and further afield and commuting to Blanchardstown is not the easiest or cheapest proposition. Their collective experience and corporate knowledge will be lost if they do not relocate to Blanchardstown. The decision to move one division in tototo a different location brings the possibility of a sizeable loss of the current staff of that division.

The Minister of State mentioned, as did the Minister, Deputy Bruton, in reply to a parliamentary question, that an additional 150 jobs have been created in the IT department in Blanchardstown. I welcome the creation of jobs anywhere on the island. The Minister stated in his reply that the State, through IDA Ireland, will continue to engage with the company to seek to influence corporate decisions and to broaden the scope of their operations here. Will the Minister of State, the Minister, the Department and the statutory agencies make a case in regard to the division I alluded to and try to reverse the job losses that will affect Cavan? Cavan-Monaghan being my constituency is my main worry. The Enniskillen side is a loss to us as well because many Cavan people work there too. I appeal to the Minister of State. There is a two-week timeframe for applying for voluntary redundancy. In his reply the Minister of State said that within days the statutory agencies will be in place. The two weeks will be up and the guidance, assistance and personal support will not have been given in time. We have to be conscious, as the Minister of State knows from his former work experience, that people who must make difficult decisions must be as well informed as possible. When redundancies occurred in that company the statutory agencies, along with the company, were very active in putting in place an immediate support system for people who had to make decisions about seeking redundancy.

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