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Revenue 'freezes Target Express staff pay'
Sacked haulage workers at tax debt-ridden company Target Express claim they have been told that a €154,000 pot to pay unpaid wages has been frozen by the Revenue Commissioners.
A group of locked-out employees, who blockaded company headquarters in Mulhuddart, Co Dublin, held a brief discussion with management where the salary claim was made.
Seamus McBrien, the chief executive, claimed he was forced to stop trading after Revenue Commissioners froze its accounts and refused to strike a deal on money owed.
Workers in Dublin vowed to picket the depot until they were paid but called off their protest at lunchtime after gardaí warned them they could not block the entrance and some subcontractors secured work elsewhere.
It is understood officials involved in possible liquidation of the company have visited offices.
In Cork the protest was more organised with up to 18 workers vowing to continue a sit-in until they get their unpaid wages.
David O’Gorman, one of the workers who occupied the Cork depot, said they have had no contact from the company, bar one email and a phone call.
“We’re staying here until we get paid,” he said. “We were contacted by the regional manager. All he had to say was: Leave; there’s no money; it’s pointless staying there.
“No one has told us anything. We’re like everyone else, waiting for the update. We have a TV here so we’ll probably find out on the news.”
The Cork workers plan to keep at least four people in the depot at all times, with men offering to do eight-hour shifts in between trying to reschedule mortgages and prepare children for their return to school.
“When the lads can be there, they’ll be there,” Mr O’Gorman said.
A statement from Mr McBrien with more detail on the company finances was expected but no one from the company was available to discuss the workers’ plight.
Sit-ins also took place in Galway.
Some employees are owed two weeks wages and none in Cork have been given their P45s, meaning they cannot sign on for the dole.
Mr McBrien claimed his company accounts were frozen on Thursday over a debt of less than €500,000.
Revenue has refused to discuss the Target Express tax liabilities specifically. But it defended its action, saying that cases are only referred for enforcement where a taxpayer or business fails to pay tax that is due.
Target Express, the main sponsor of Tyrone GAA, had depots across the north and south of Ireland and forecast a profit of €1.6m this year.
It was named distributing company of the year last November and held several large contracts, including with the A Wear clothes chain and Smyths toy store.
Mr McBrien maintains that his firm paid €1m to tax chiefs in the last six to eight weeks and another €214,000 on Monday.
He claimed that another €80,000 was ordered by Wednesday and that his account was frozen on Thursday, despite the money being promised by Friday.
He said he has contacted the offices of Jobs Minister Richard Bruton, Finance Minister Michael Noonan and Transport Minister Leo Varadkar to make representations but claimed they would not get involved.
The Irish Road Haulage Association warned that another six firms employing thousands of people will be gone by Christmas unless the Government stems the tide of increasing fuel prices and use of laundered diesel in the sector.
Brendan Sweetman, a driver with the company based at the Mulhuddart depot, said he faces eviction from his rented Tyrrelstown home as a result of losing his job.
“I’m in serious trouble. I’m going to end up homeless,” he said.
He was last paid on the weekend of August 17 and his landlord has threatened not to renew his lease because he has been late with rent on a number of occasions.