'Heartbreaking': Former Limerick Debenhams workers react to €3m training offer

FORMER Debenhams workers in Limerick have described the offer of a €3m training fund as “heartbreaking”.

The government is moving on foot of a recommendation drawn up by Labour Court chairman Kevin Foley following extensive engagement with workers and their union Mandate, liquidators KPMG and various government agencies in a bid to bring the 251-day standoff to a close.

More than 110 workers in Limerick lost their jobs just before Easter when Debenhams’s British arm pulled support for its Irish business, with liquidators appointed to the company a short time later.

They still await redundancy payouts.

Since then, former staff have staged round-the-clock pickets, to block the exit of stock from the landmark O’Connell Street store. They feel by doing this, they are using their final bargaining chip with the liquidators firm.

Speaking this morning, former Debenhams worker Paul Quinn described the offer as “heartbreaking”, and pointed out many upskilling courses on offer are already free.

“They are throwing €3m at us in courses. It’s not a cash offer. What is it? But what can you do? We’ve been let down by government again. We won’t be the last – it’s going to happen to other companies until the country stands up for himself,” he said.

“Half of the courses we do not even need. We are upskilled already. They are talking about courses to get out of the retail sector. Some of us don’t want to get out the retail sector. We’ve been in it most of our lives. There are people working inside there 43 years, it’s all they know,” he added.

Former staff have pledged to continue to maintain a picket, with Ger Quaid adding: “The liquidator reckons there is €13m of stock left in there. They won’t see a penny of it. The liquidation will fail. We will continue to block the shop. We’ll be here on Christmas Day.”

The €3m fund, administered by Solas, will run for two years or until the funds have been fully disbursed.

Labour Court chairman Mr Foley acknowledged workers may be disappointed.

He said: “In setting out the above arrangements, I am conscious that they fall short of the ambitions of the former workers. I am however satisfied, having engaged extensively on the matter with the parties involved and with government, that they represent the maximum achievable in a very difficult situation. 

The proposals are to be put to a secret ballot of workers.