State forwards takeover interest to air firm

THE Government is forwarding any expressions of interest in taking over SR Technics’ Dublin operation directly to the aircraft maintenance firm — despite any successful bidder being a likely competitor to the Swiss company.

More than 1,100 workers are expected to lose their jobs at the Dublin Airport base by the end of the month.

A further 200 staff will be retained until someone is found to take over a recently signed 10-year Aer Lingus maintenance contract.

According to SIPTU, which represents the majority of the workers, the company is now indicating clearly that it has no wish to maintain the Dublin operation no matter what the staff offer in terms of cost savings. It wants to consolidate remaining work done in Dublin in its Zurich base.

However, expressions of interest are still being sought from those interested in taking over the operation.

In a letter seen by the Irish Examiner, the union has been told by the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Enterprise Ireland, which are receiving those expressions, that they are forwarding them directly on to SR Technics.

“State agencies are allowing a situation where anyone who expresses an interest is being forwarded to SR Technics, which has a strategic view,” said Pat Ward of SIPTU. “So we have a situation where the IDA are putting expressions of interest into the lion’s den.

“The Tánaiste, when we met her two to three weeks ago, said she was going to appoint an aviation expert to scrutinise the business and expressions of interest received. To date that person is a faceless and nameless entity to us. We have received no communication from her office.

“We wrote to her seeking information on the expressions of interest and get back a letter saying anyone who expresses interest is forwarded to SRT. That is simply not good enough. This expert should be meeting those interested first-hand and telling them there is funding available for the continuation of the facility.”

Meanwhile, the battle between the company’s Zurich headquarters and Irish workers over redundancy payments is continuing.

The union claims SR Technics is a “very cash-rich company” refinanced by up to e1 billion, but only e15 million was allocated for redundancy payments to its Dublin workers.