Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has made representations to Bank of Ireland regarding its decision to make 2,100 workers redundant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13372/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the serious concerns of Bank of Ireland staff regarding the implications of the restructuring programme. It is important to recognise, however, that the decision to introduce this plan was made by the management of the Bank of Ireland, in what it judged to be the long-term interests of the organisation. It would not be appropriate for me, in my role as Minister for Finance, to endeavour to make any assessment of the commercial decisions of the Bank of Ireland.

The chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission, Mr. Kieran Mulvey, has been asked to act as an independent chair of the process being undertaken by the Bank of Ireland with the Irish Bank Officials Association to progress discussions on the implementation of the change programme. This process clearly provides the opportunity for management and staff representatives to resolve outstanding issues on a partnership basis.

On a more general level, the development is taking place in the wider context of the positive environment for employment currently prevailing in the Irish economy.