Dell decision forces Rehab to cut 30 jobs

A PRINT company employing people with disabilities is the latest casualty of the Dell decision to shed 1,900 jobs in Limerick.

Rehab Enterprises, which has a centre at Raheen Industrial Estate adjacent to Dell, confirmed yesterday it is seeking 30 redundancies at Raheen from its workforce of 90.

Rehab carried out keyboard printing for Dell.

Rehab Enterprises group is the country’s largest single employer of workers with disability.

A spokesperson for Rehab said: “We regret to confirm that it has to inform staff at our Limerick plant in the Raheen Industrial Estate that it will have to make possibly up to 30 posts redundant in coming months.”

Talks have commenced between Rehab, staff and their unions.

The spokesperson said: “Electronic assembly work will continue at the plant and Rehab Enterprises will continue to make every effort to secure new opportunities with businesses who wish to support our unique integrated social employment model.”

The Dell decision to cease laptop manufacturing in Limerick is expected to cost a further 8,000 jobs in companies which supply goods and services to the computer giant.

RR Donnelly, formerly known as Banta, is expected to transfer its 500 jobs to Poland where it has built a plant in Lodz adjacent to the Dell facility which will take over the work now being done in Limerick.

Meanwhile, news is still awaited about the task force being set up to deal with the huge economic loss to the Limerick region in the wake of the Dell announcement that it is moving to Poland.

Denis Brosnan, the former head of the Kerry Group, was in talks with the Government to head up the Task force. But confusion has surrounded the appointment after junior minister Peter Power made the announcement, instead of his senior colleague, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan.

Sources in the Tánaiste’s department indicated last night an announcement on the composition of the task force was imminent and may be made today.

The chief executive of Shannon Development, Dr Vincent Cunnane, will act as chief executive of the task force for its duration.