Dell to stay put, says top boss

DELL’S top executive in Europe said the computer giant intends to remain one of Limerick’s largest employers, retaining 1,000 R&D and other high-value jobs at its Raheen facility.

All 1,900 manufacturing jobs are being moved to Poland and 100 white collar jobs have also been axed.

Sean Corkery, who is moving from Limerick to take up a more senior executive post with Dell, said: “There are still 1,000 employees in the campus and I think we should remember that. We are still a very large employer, we intend to remain that way and we want to move on now. I think they [1,000 workers] are doing a good job, an important job and we want to keep it that way.”

Limerick mayor Kevin Kiely, meanwhile, said: “I think Dell will stick to their word on this one. They will remain one of the largest employers in the city.

“A thousand jobs are guaranteed there and I would hope in the future. Dell would build on that. What I did say to him [Mr Corkery] was that as a councillor at the time of the closure announcement, that I was disappointed with the loss of so many jobs.

“He agreed and was also disappointed. But he said it was outside of his control – it was an executive decision, not made in Ireland.”

Mr Corkery said the meeting with Mayor Kiely was a general one to see how they can work together as a major employer in the city.

Dell have said they are unwilling to sit down before the Labour Relations Commission to negotiate a new redundancy package for workers.

Workers are being offered six weeks pay for every year of service up to a maximum of two years.

Mr Corkery said they have had more than 1,000 meetings with various workers .

He said: “We feel that we have modified the package on a number of occasions and the vast majority of employees are very happy with it. We respect the LRC and we don’t want to be wasting their time.”