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Time to accept that Dell will quit city, says Mayor
THE Mayor of Limerick has said it is time to accept Dell will quit the city completely after the computer giant axed over 100 jobs from its research arm.
Just two months after announcing it is to close its manufacturing base in Limerick with the loss of 1,900 jobs, bosses at Dell's plant in Raheen told staff that, as part of a $4bn global cost-saving measure, 110 of its 1,100 staff members would be sought for redundancy.
And there could be more bad news on the way as Dell carries out a 30-day review of its research and development operation, which employs 1,100 people.
When Dell announced it was to shift manufacturing completely to Poland, calls were made to safeguard the remaining staff working in research positions in Raheen.
However, a visibly saddened Mayor John Gilligan said: "We have to accept Dell are on their way out of here. The Government are going to have to recognise the enormity of this situation. I had calls from people coming out from the meeting and they were in tears."
Mayor Gilligan was one of several politicians who on Friday made calls to the Texas-based computer giant's Irish PR firm to enquire about the job losses. He was told nothing.
He said: "I cannot understand a company who have just let people go who will not confirm anything. Its f*****g crazy really. Its unique in the annals of industrial history."
The Mayor also called on the Government to start a housebuilding programme to "keep the economy afloat."
Fine Gael's Deputy Finance Spokesman Kieran O'Donnell said Tanaiste Mary Coughlan must engage in dialogue with Michael Dell to ensure no more jobs are lost at Dell here.
He added: "It is vital that the Tnaiste clarifies whether any discussions have taken place with Dell in securing existing high-end jobs and attracting new ones. I am also calling on her to order the IDA to take a seat on the Multi-Agency Taskforce set up in the wake of the announcement of the loss of Dell's manufacturing jobs. These are IDA jobs that are being lost, and the IDA has a key role in replacing them."
Labour Deputy Jan O'Sullivan said Dell's top brass must now make a public statement there will be no more job cuts.
"This announcement is particularly disappointing, given that the workforce in Limerick was given an indication that they would not be asked to take any more punishment after the previous round of redundancies," she said.
Fianna Fail Junior Minister Peter Power said: "It is very disappointing naturally, these are good quality jobs. We are fortunate in one respect that the task force has already begun its work in Limerick. We dont have any other area in the country that has specific task force - other parts of country have lost thousands of jobs, but at least the Tanaiste put in place task force here."
When Dell announced it was to slash its manufacturing base in January, Defence Minister Willie O'Dea prematurely said that 750 new IDA-backed Dell jobs could be on their way to the city.
Calls have now been made for Minister O'Dea to make a statement on this matter.
Dell is also to make similar cuts to its 1,300 staff in Cherrywood, Co Dublin. The first 400 of Dell's manufacturing staff are to be let go early next month. A spokesperson for Dell declined to give any comment when contacted by the Limerick Leader.
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