QUINN INSURANCE employees are to hold a number of meetings and protests to highlight job fears among the 2,800 workers after the Financial Regulator’s decision to place Quinn Insurance into provisional administration.
Politicians and employees from the Quinn Group met at the company’s headquarters in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, yesterday. All six Northern Ireland local assembly members were in attendance along with all the members of Fermanagh District Council. A second meeting is to take place in Derrylin today. A “replica meeting” is to take place south of the Border in the Quinn Packaging Facility in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, today.
It is expected that local politicians, including Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith and all Cavan/Monaghan area Oireachtas members will attend the meeting.
Spokeswoman for the Quinn Group Mona Bermingham said it was incumbent on politicians both north and south of the Border to lobby for the workers to get the regulator’s decision overturned.
She warned of the “devastating long-term effect” for the Border region and the country if the decision was not reversed.
“The labyrinth affect of this would be so far reaching, it’s unfathomable at this stage,” Ms Bermingham said. “If Quinn Insurance were to be bought or broken up there is no point pretending it won’t affect the Quinn Group because it absolutely will.” Chris Toner is employed by Quinn Insurance in Cavan. He said there is a “great sense of despair” among workers there who are concerned for their jobs. The community in Cavan is in “utter disbelief” at the decision of the Financial Regulator, he said, adding that Cavan would be a “ghost town” should Quinn Insurance close.
“The Government seem to be ploughing billions into these failed banks yet Quinn Insurance is a thriving, vibrant and viable company and we’re making loads of money. For the regulator to give us this kick in the teeth is beyond belief,” he said. “It’s amazing that a successful company can be sabotaged to this degree.”
Meanwhile a letter, written on behalf of UK-based Quinn Insurance employees and service providers has been sent to the regulator, the Taoiseach and the provisional administrators appealing to overturn what it says is an “unreasonable” action. The company cannot take on new business in the UK as a result of the regulator’s decision.
Two protest marches are to take place in Dublin and Cavan next Tuesday.