Fears of anti-Polish feeling after Dell move

FEARS of a Dell backlash against Polish people living in Limerick were voiced yesterday.

The chairman of the Irish Polish Cultural and Business Association, Pat O’Sullivan, said: “Polish people were not responsible for the decision. Nobody is throwing stones, but that unease is there now. We are concerned about the negative impact of the decision on the Polish community from fellow workers and Limerick people in general.”

Mr O’Sullivan urged people to recognise the contribution Polish people have made in Limerick, especially in the arts and culture.

“The majority of Polish people here do not intend to return to their native country due to a number of factors, including the unemployment in parts of Poland. And social services here are more robust than in Poland, ” he said

Polish immigrant Arek Glinieki, who has lived in Limerick for the past four years, worked for a time as a security man at Dell.

“For the vast majority the most important thing is money and we can earn more in Ireland,” he said. He claimed his flat mate had been made redundant at Dell last month.

Cllr Jim Long, yesterday accused the Government of opening the floodgates to migrant workers.

The Fine Gael member of Limerick City Council said immigrant workers had transferred hundreds of millions of euro out of the country.

“The vast majority of migrant workers have not contributed to the city. They have the opportunity to leave the country at will, but 60% of the workers at Dell have mortgages and these are the people we have to protect,” he said.

Meanwhile, officials at the Department of the Tánaiste were holding talks yesterday about a visit by Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan to the plant. The visit may take place today.

The minister is expected to meet representatives from Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Shannon Development and local politicians to discuss the fallout from the 1,900 Dell lay-offs and the make-up of the task force being appointed.

The Department of Social Welfare has organised advice sessions at the Dell plant in coming weeks to brief workers about their entitlements. The department is also putting in place special arrangements to avoid huge queues at their head office in Dominic Street.

Staff numbers at the office are to be increased.