Dell Quits Limerick - Reaction

"The anger inside there is unbelievable"

A Limerick worker at the Dell plant in Raheen has told the media of how Sean Corkery, vice-president of Dell operations in Europe was 'savaged' by angry workers as he broke the news of the decision by the company to axe 1,900 jobs at the Raheen plant.

36 year old Mike Killeen told reporters outside the Dell assembly line that Mr. Corkery "was savaged inside — and rightly so."

“We will do what ever we have to do”

The words of Limerick TD and Minister for Defence and Willie O’ Dea as he tried sheepishly to defend the Government handling of the Dell situation following its decision to axe 1,900 jobs from its Limerick base.

Speaking to local radio this morning, O’Dea said it is now a government priority to re-educate and re-skill workers that have lost their jobs this morning.

Labour TD for Limerick Jan O`Sullivan followed

"When the knock-on impact on supplier companies is taken into account, the total job losses will run to many thousand and the economic cost through loss of spending power is almost incalculable, This is a black day for Limerick.

However, Limerick has recovered from economic blows in the past and I have no doubt that, with the political will and the appropriate supports, we can recover from these losses also."

Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan said he was concerned about many Dell workers with large mortgages to pay,

"The Government must immediately declare Limerick an unemployment emergency area. It must instruct the State's job creation agencies to give absolute priority for new jobs to Limerick and it must immediately instruct the relevant State agencies to provide the retraining necessary so that Dell workers who need to improve their skills are provided with the facilities to do so.

Many young Dell workers have very large mortgages and their mortgages must be protected by the Government. To lose one's job is a tragedy; to lose one's house as well would be an absolute disaster.”

Meanwhile, the Limerick Leader newspaper is reporting that Irish MEP Kathy Sinnott offered to meet with Dell on ‘several occasions’ last year however Dell refused.

“As far back as last summer, I contacted the directors in Dell and asked them to meet with me and see how best we could save these vital jobs. They were unresponsive."

A Statement from Mr. Ned Gleeson, Limerick County Manager,

"My immediate thoughts are with the workers and their families following this devastating jobs announcement.

Limerick County Council will work with all other agencies in the region to ensure that the welfare of these workers is protected.

The Council also supports the establishment of a concerted and collaborative effort to ensure that the competitiveness of other businesses and the wider region is not damaged by this announcement.

I would like to point out that Dell's announcement should not be regarded as a reflection on the quality of its workforce or the operating environment in Limerick."