Black day for one of the Northside’s best employers

COOLOCK and surrounding areas were dealt a massive blow last week when it was announced that there will be major job losses at Cadbury.

The plant has provided employment to thousands of people since the 1960s. Here is some local reaction to the devastating news:

“My first thoughts are with the workers and their families as they receive this very difficult news. All the supports of the State will be made available to workers as and when needed.

“I have been engaging in recent days with senior management of the company and have urged them to reconsider this decision, and asked him if there is anything the State or its agencies can do to mitigate its effects.

“Unfortunately due to a cost base which is significantly out of line with competitor countries it appears likely that the company will proceed.

“The company has pledged to support departing workers with placement services.

“The company will also be working closely with workers in an effort to ensure that the impact of this decision is minimised to the greatest extent possible and to discuss investment it will be making in Ireland in order to build a stronger business here for the long term.

“Enterprise Ireland will be involved in those discussions and I have directed the agencies of my Department to step up their efforts to bring employment to the areas affected.

?

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton

“The reported job losses are a devastating blow to the communities concerned and especially to Coolock and the Northside.

“I now call on Kraft/Mondelez to urgently reverse the decision to cut these jobs.

“Minister Richard Bruton must now take a proactive role in addressing these proposed job losses in our constituency.

“As the founding chairperson and long-time director of Coolock Development Council, I am calling on Bruton to urgently meet the workforce, their trade union representatives, local public representatives and the Mondelez management to get these job cuts stopped.

?

Dublin Bay North TD Tommy Broughan (Ind)

“I am concerned and disappointed at the proposed job losses. While we do not know at this point the number of jobs that may be lost, I am concerned about the effect that any losses will have on the local community. I would ask the company to reconsider any plans to lay people off.

“I will be contacting jobs minister Richard Bruton asking him to intervene with the company in an attempt to save the jobs.

?

Cllr Larry O’Toole (SF), Beaumont-Donaghmede Local Electoral Area

“I am hopeful that officials in the Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Jobs as well as in the Department of Social Protection will work together to secure the future of the affected workers.

“I will be ensuring that the Government will work with unions representing the workers to help them find alternative prospects.

“It is imperative that they are offered the opportunity to find security in their future and that will be my focus at this time.

?

Minister for Equality, New Communities and Culture, Aodhán � Ríordáin

“I am shocked that Mondelez Ireland is seeking redundancies at the Cadbury’s plant in Coolock.

“Cadbury has been a big part of the community, employing local residents for decades since it first opened there in 1964.

“My thoughts are with the workers who face an uncertain future. This will be devastating news for Cadbury employees and their families. It is vitally important that the company keeps jobs losses at a minimum.

?

Dublin Bay North TD Terence Flanagan

“Cadbury, not only a landmark factory building on the Northside of Dublin but a model employer over the years, is synonymous with the Coolock and Artane area.

“We need to save these jobs in whatever way we can. I am calling on Jobs Minister Bruton, who is also a TD for the area, to redouble all efforts to save these jobs.

“We cannot allow the long term unemployment problem in the area to get any worse than it already is.

?

Cllr Tom Brabazon (FF), Beaumont-Donaghmede Local Electoral Area

“Cadbury’s is a long-established employer, and the jobs it provides in both Rathmore and Coolock are vital to those communities and the economy.

“The announcement was unexpected, and our members are both shocked and angry.

?

UNITE Trade Union

“These jobs need to be saved. The loss to the community in which Cadbury has operated for over 50 years now would be devastating.

“So I am calling on the company to reconsider its plans, save these jobs and respect the people and their families who have given so much of their lives to Cadbury over the years.

?

John Lyons, People Before Profit

“It is particularly distressing to an area where there are higher than average levels of unemployment.

“I hope that every avenue will be explored between unions and management to minimise job losses particularly in light of the commitment to invest in new chocolate making technology for the Coolock plant.

“It is critical that opportunities to upskill and re-train be offered to those losing their jobs so as enable these workers to find alternative employment.

?

Cllr Alison Gilliland (Lab), Beaumont-Donaghmede Local Electoral Area

“SIPTU should vigorously oppose any job losses at this profitable company.

The workers they intend to lay-off should be redeployed to other areas of the company which they plan to continue operating.

?

Cllr Michael O’Brien (AAA), Beaumont-Donaghmede Local Electoral Area

“This is a hammer blow to staff. Cadbury’s has been in the area since 1964 and has employed many people locally which will have a terrible knock on effect.

?

Daryl Barron, local area representative for Fianna Fáil