|
|
 Dole Queue The Dole Queue in North Tipperary is set to lengthen even further with some thirty two jobs set to be axed at Birr, Co Offaly, latter in close proximity to the north Tipperary border.
The job losses were announced this morning by EJ (Iron Foundry), formally known as Cavanagh’s Iron Foundry.
EJ president Fred Malpass said in a statement today that owing to loss-making activities the company propose to reduce their staff from 50 to 18, adding that the company greatly appreciated the exemplary service of their employees at Birr and the proposed closure is no reflection on their performance.
The company confirmed it will continue to employ just 18 staff in Birr, where some steel fabrication will continue, alongside its distribution centre and sales team. A strategic business review by EJ has fully concluded that the manufacturing of iron castings should be now consolidated to its European headquarters in France, which the company say offers economies of scale and greater operating efficiency and will allow the company to be more competitive.
The company, which manufactures a range of manhole covers and drainage grates for the construction industry, said in a statement today that it remains “fully committed to retaining a competitive Irish business with a sustainable future“.
 The Labour Court has recommended that over 100 workers, who were set to lose their jobs at Dawn Fresh Foods Ltd in Fethard, Co Tipperary on October 25th next, will now be paid aggregate lump sums totalling €52,000, as part of an enhanced redundancy deal.
The Parent Company had opted to shut down the food processing plant in late July last. Previously it had produced chilled and frozen ready-made meals for the Irish and UK markets, but claimed that due to increasing costs of raw materials, energy, and unfavourable currency exchange rates etc., their market had declined.
The food giant has been in dispute with SIPTU over redundancy terms for the workers which in turn led to a hearing by the Labour Court.
Now as part of an enhanced redundancy deal for these workers, the Labour Court is also recommending that same be paid an additional one week’s service for each year on top of their statutory redundancy. The €52,000 in ex-gratia payments is made up of €500 to each employee.
 Bruce Springsteen Concert in Kilkenny Tipperary GAA Chairman Mr Sean Nugent has confirmed that his board want to stage a lucrative music gig at Semple Stadium in the Summer of 2014.
Mr Nugent indicated that having recorded losses totalling more than €650,000 in the previous four years, the county board could record a financial profit for 2013, from their ‘Tipptoberfest’ upcoming event, latter a series of sporting and other music activities which will take place at the Clonmel Park Hotel, over the course of the October Bank Holiday.
Mr Nugent is confident a money-spinning concert will go ahead at Semple Stadium next year and claims that a major gig at the Thurles Semple Stadium venue would revive memories of the spectacular Féile concerts in the early 1990s.
If ‘Tipptoberfest’ runs successfully, then some of the promoters involved are thought to be very interested in running a larger scale concert event in the Stadium, with next summer as their target.
For many local businesses this event would be most certainly welcomed as good for the commercial life of Thurles, while also serving to alleviate the financial pressures on Tipperary GAA coffers.
Recent Bruce Springsteen Concerts held around Ireland attracted crowds averaging attendances of some 45,000, resulting in a massive economic boost for the towns and cities involved.
Hear is hoping that the GAA County Board will now enter into public discussion on any future music gig, so that other annual standing events are not compromised by this very welcome proposed idea.
 More job losses could be arriving down the line for Co Tipperary with the news that the fashion retail chain Carl Scarpa has gone into examiner-ship. The chain which began operating in the early seventies selling shoes and accessories employs more than 80 people in 21 outlets, one of which is in based at No 6 Gladstone Street, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Examining, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan stated that the stores had established a strong brand; selling shoes designed for the fashion conscious consumer and described Carl Scarpa’s present difficulties as sadly an all too familiar site in the present Irish retail sector. At the moment however the business cannot pay its debts, including in the region of €200,000 in tax arrears due to Irish Revenue.
Carl Scarpa site Legacy Debt and above Market Rents as being partially to blame for their current trading difficulties.
Earlier this week the US pharmaceutical giant Merck said it would eliminate an additional 8,500 jobs worldwide as it seeks to cut costs by $2.5 billion by the end of 2015. The new job cuts, combined with previously announced cuts of about 7,500, will slash some 20% of their current global workforce of 81,000 by end-2015. The company has been under pressure following the expiration of patents on some key drugs.
Merck employs some 2,000 people in Ireland, with over 400 employees at its manufacturing facility at Ballydine, Kilsheelan, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. The company’s plant near Kilsheelan exports to some 30 countries. Back in 2010 a new research and development site was opened. The worry for Tipperary employees is that most of Merck’s new expected savings are expected to come via marketing and administrative expenses, including a cut back in research and development.
Merck & Co have already agreed to close its MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) plant at Rathdrum in Co Wicklow by the end of 2015, resulting in the loss of 280 jobs and had planed to relocate products manufactured in Rathdrum to MSD sites in Ballydine and Singapore, as well as to third-party manufacturers.
Job Creation In Tipperary
The Irish Industrial Development Authority (IDA) boasts of its successes in achieving strong net job performance mainly through foreign direct investment particularly over the previous 12 months. It should be noted however that some 54%, or 6,389 of their created jobs were in Co Dublin, while some 1,979 jobs were created in Co Cork during this same twelve month period.
Here in the County of Tipperary, alas in the South of our county a mere ten jobs were only put in place, (Fifth from bottom of the overall job creation list nationally) and to equate this to North Tipperary, we saw not even one single job created, (Bottom of the overall job creation list nationally) during this same period.
While unemployment figures may have improved very slightly in the larger Irish cities, Thurles and Tipperary presently sit under a dark cloud while awaiting details of the next budget. If a reversal in the current 9% VAT rate is implemented, as was recently muted by Finance Minister Michael Noonan, then hospitality and services sectors in the county will have no alternative but to shed further employees, thus ultimately leading to net losses for the exchequer and the further destruction of rural Ireland.
A Thurles Cooked Meat Producer has been awarded a contract to supply up to nine million pieces of cooked bacon to the McDonald’s Fast Food Chain, right across Ireland. The multimillion Euro deal will see all 84 McDonald’s restaurants in Ireland supplied with bacon, fully sourced from Dew Valley Meats, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
This contract also has the potential to provide additional McDonald’s markets in Europe into the future.
Dew Valley Meats Thurles is a privately owned, independent company operated by Managing Director Mr Jack Blake, with an EU-approved ultra-modern factory, head-quartered at Holycross Road, less than 1 mile west of Thurles, and currently employs approximately 250 people in its modern state of the art production facility.
This contract is seen as a significant vote of confidence in the Irish and Tipperary agri-food sector, coming as it does from McDonald’s, the world’s leading global food brand.
Congratulating Dew Valley, Irish Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney stated; “Companies like Dew Valley are leading the way in terms of quality, commitment to sustainability and efficiency.“
|
Support Us Help keep Thurles.info online by donating below. Thank you.
Total Donated 2026: €300.00
Thank You!
Daily Thurles Mass Livestream
|
Recent Comments