Air boss opposed to Dairygold relocation

THE chief executive of one of Europe’s most successful regional airlines said he does not agree with Dairygold’s decision to relocate 120 staff to Cork city because of the stress it will cause its workers.

Padraig Ó Ceidigh, chief executive of Aer Arann and a former winner of the Irish Entrepreneur of the Year award, made his comments after addressing business leaders in Mallow yesterday.

Mr Ó Ceidigh said he took “very much the opposite view” of what Dairygold was planning for a host of different reasons, but not least because of the potential effect on staff.

“People work a lot better in their local environment. The most successful companies in the world actually look at the needs of their employees,” he said.

Increased travel costs, more expensive child-minding services and stress caused by getting up earlier and being stuck in traffic jams won’t help workers, Mr Ó Ceidigh said. He added that creating more stress among the workforce would not aid the company itself.

“No one works for you, they work with you, that’s my philosophy. It would be better if people were able to work in the area they are living in. In fact I believe there should be positive discrimination towards creating jobs outside cities,” the Aer Arann boss said.

Mr Ó Ceidigh said his views were being made on a personal basis and that he wasn’t fully aware of Dairygold’s overall business plan.

Dairygold has claimed it makes financial sense to take over the former JetMagic offices at Cork Airport Business Park, rather than trying to build offices in north Cork to accommodate 120 employees.

The company will first have to overcome a potential problem with planning permission. Enterprises moving into the business park have to prove they are airport or internationally-related services. Cork county manager Maurice Moloney said his first impression was that Dairygold did not qualify.

If the relocation goes ahead it could mean a daily 100-mile round trip for some workers.