THE IDA is involved in the early stages of negotiations with General Motors in an attempt to find an alternative enterprise at the Tallaght plant where 800 jobs are to be lost.
As a political, diplomatic and industrial offensive got under way last night to secure jobs at the 15 acre Packard site, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said there was an onus" on General Motors to "make a contribution to a solution".
While the shock of the job losses unfolded in Tallaght, the Minister announced a task force to make proposals on finding a replacement industry. The body chaired by local industrialist Mr Dan Tierney, and including the South Dublin county manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, as well as representatives of the IDA, FAS, Forbairt, the trade unions and the Chamber of Commerce is expected to consider how to counter the crisis today.
In the Dail yesterday, politicians on all sides expressed abhorrence at the manner in which I had handled the announcement of the closure to the workforce.
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, who was attending an ICTU function, said "In terms of the way people should be dealt with it was appalling. There is such a thing as human decency and where there is news like that to be announced I believe the workers should be informed in a far more respectful manner.
Responding to Dail questions from Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats as to how the Government intended to secure a sustainable replacement industry, Mr Rabbitte said "We are naturally shell shocked at the proposed closure, its catastrophic effect on the Tallaght area and the manner in which the workforce learned of their future."
The Government had no prior indication of the scale of the current and projected losses at the plant. To the serious jobs situation in Tallaght, Cabinet had approved his proposal to establish a task force.
Fianna Fail's deputy leader, Ms Mary O'Rourke, described manner in which the learned of their fate as and savage". Some were watching television when they saw the news on their screens, she said.
Ms Mary Harney, leader of the Progressive Democrats, urged the Minister to examine proposals to develop the military aerodrome at Baldonnell into a commercial airport, which would serve as a focus for jobs in the area. The Packard crisis highlighted the urgent need for tax reform in the last year of production at the plant, £5.5 million was paid in taxes to the Government, she said.
. SIPTU said it noted the company's redundancy offer of five weeks' pay for every year of service and said the union would regard this as the "minimum figure" on offer in further negotiations with management.