TD criticised for jobs cuts comments

A WATERFORD TD who urged those mourning the loss of 485 jobs at crystal plants to shrug off the losses and “start living in the real world” just days after the cuts were announced has been criticised by union officials for his remarks.

But yesterday, Fianna Fail’s Oliver Wilkinson hit back at union bosses at Waterford Crystal, saying they didn’t raise their voices until the cuts were announced. Just three days after the jobs blow was announced, the West Waterford TD went on WLR FM, where he urged the people impacted by the cuts to get over it.

“I can understand where the unions are coming from,” he said in the interview. “We hear exactly the same story after every closure. What happens is the closures go ahead.