Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan said she has asked the State agencies to ensure that “everything possible” is done to assist more than 1,000 workers who will lose their jobs with the closure of SR Technics.
She expressed “deep regret” at the announcement by the Dublin Airport-based aircraft maintenance group that it isto close its operation.
“I know that the workers of SR Technics may have been aware of the serious difficulties being faced by the company following the loss of major contracts, however today’s announcement will come as a severe blow to the workers and their families.”
“Yesterday I met with representatives of the company who outlined their difficulties and their attempts to explore all options for its Dublin operations including the sale to another party. Unfortunately, it was not possible to proceed with any of these options.
“The company have confirmed that their operation in Cork, which employs nearly 200, will be unaffected by this announcement.”
Ms Coughlan noted that SR Technics had also indicated that its line maintenance contract with Aer Lingus will continue and other smaller operations will be assigned to another operator.”
The Tánaiste said the company also hoped to assist its existing apprentices.
“I have asked the State agencies to ensure that everything possible is done to assist those workers affected by this announcement.”
Fine Gael TD for North Dublin James Reilly said the loss of the jobs was “catastrophic” for the area.
He said the company should remove the protective notice to allow local management and workers to come together and seek an alternative solution to the virtual closure of the company.
“Tragically, over 1,100 North Dublin workers are facing the prospect of joining the 320,000 plus people on the dole while the Government remains silent on how to handle the unemployment crisis. The loss of major contracts has been a blow to the firm which signifies the increasing competitiveness issues Irish-based firms are facing and which the Government has done nothing to tackle.”
Labour Party transport spokesman Tommy Broughan said the workers had provided “outstanding service” to the company over the years, often making great sacrifices to keep it afloat.
Mr Broughan said the Government must examine with the Dublin Airport Authority, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and all other stakeholders at Dublin Airport how these jobs can be saved or transformed into other employment at the airport “given the high skills of the employees involved and the ongoing maintenance needs of the Dublin aviation sector”.
“It is now also urgently incumbent on the government itself to provide maximum support and re-training initiatives for these 1200 workers and their families.”
North Dublin-based Senator Brendan Ryan of Labour said: "This has not just crept up. There were signs over the last couple of years of pending problems. The decision by Aer Lingus to pull contracts from SR Technics was very significant and this closure of SR Technics is now a knock-on effect of the mistaken decision to privatise Aer Lingus."
Socialist Party councillor Clare Daly, a union representative at Aer Lingus, said the root of the crisis lay in the privatisation of both TEAM Aer Lingus by a Fianna Fáil/Labour government and of Aer Lingus by a Fianna Fáil/Progressive Democrats government.
"As part of the neo-liberal agenda that is currently wreaking such havoc on the economy, control of both companies was handed over to uncaccountable vulture capitalists whose only remit is maximisation of profit for private shareholders."
Former Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said aircraft servicing was critically necessary for the vast number of aircraft using Irish airports.
"SR Technics and Aer Lingus should both be renationalised. The staff from both companies should be central to planning a secure future for crucial services provided by both and in the process maintaining the thousands of jobs dependent on both."