Staff devastated but not angry at firm

DONAL LEHANE has worked for BUPA for 10 years, as has his wife, but now the couple, like so many others in the Fermoy headquarters, must plan new ways to support their two young children.

“It is awful for everyone,” said the information technology expert. “There is a lot at stake. We have built up a centre of excellence, with everyone bringing it along. It has been a huge team effort. To be taken down like this is devastating. It is the system that has let everyone down.”

Mr Lehane said all they could do now was move forward. “Various plans need to be implemented and we need to see what way the business goes.”

Kate O’Keeffe, a BUPA employee for eight years, said everyone was so sad and disappointed when BUPA Ireland managing director, Martin O’Rourke personally broke the news to the workforce at 10am yesterday before returning to Dublin to face the media.

“We were shocked when the decision came to close, but it wasn’t completely unexpected. The court case went against us, so it was always on the cards,” she said, adding that everything had been done to try to keep the organisation going.

“It is a business and it has been a successful business. BUPA is sad to leave as well. They have had 10 great years in Ireland and built up a very successful company. We are not angry at BUPA,” Ms O’Keefe said.

She paid tribute to her employers for the effort they put into the workers.

“I went to night college during my time in BUPA. Everyone has been encouraged to get into further education and there has been good coaching programmes for staff.

“It has been a very good company to work for. I am here eight years. Thirty-five people were there for the core start and of those, 20 odd are still there 10 years on.

“The average age is probably under 30. There is going to be jobs for the next while but, obviously, not for everybody.”

Local senator, Paul Bradford laid the blamed the job losses on the Government: “The policy decision they have taken has caused the loss of 300 jobs. Mary Harney claims to be in favour of competition, but this is totally anti-competitive.”

Labour TD, Joe Sherlock said: “Minister Harney, who espouses the primacy of the market, has now engineered a return to inefficient state monopolies.”

BUPA job losses and cuts at Greencore, Nestle and Dairygold amount to more than 2,000 jobs lost in north Cork in the last two years.