Workers take to streets over job threats
In an impressive show of strength for the company’s beleaguered founder, Seán Quinn, 5,000 protesters in Dublin and Cavan staged demonstrations in opposition to last week’s decision by Financial Regulator Matthew Elderfield to place Quinn Direct into provisional administration.
Quinn staff took to the streets to express concern that the jobs of 700 people in offices in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, and Manchester in the UK in particular are at risk after Mr Elderfield’s instruction that the company cannot write new business in Britain or the North.
An estimated 2,500 demonstrators at the Dublin event gathered outside Leinster House in the pouring rain at midday before marching the short distance to Government Buildings on Merrion St.
Letters were handed in on behalf of workers by Quinn Direct employee Patricia McGloin to the Department of the Finance and the Taoiseach’s office, asking for the Financial Regulator’s decision to be overturned.
Director general of the Construction Industry Federation Tom Parlon also joined the march, while independent MEP Marian Harkin addressed the large demonstration which she stressed was “an employee-led initiative”.
Ms Harkin voiced her admiration for Mr Quinn and his role in creating 5,550 jobs in rural Ireland. “This is about quality jobs and the economic survival of border communities,” she added to loud cheers.
Ms Harkin acknowledged that the Financial Regulator had a job to do but she questioned the timing and speed of Mr Elderfield’s actions, expressing concern that Mr Quinn was being made an example of after years of “light-touch” regulation.
Many Quinn workers and their families travelled from Cavan, Fermanagh and Longford to show solidarity with the businessman.
Eunan Rafferty from Toomebridge, Co Antrim, a director of Creagh Concrete said he had made the journey to demonstrate his support as a client of a number of the Quinn Group. “We have a strong partnership with Quinn in the North,” he explained.
Ali Brown, a Quinn worker from Wales, said she had flown over from Cardiff at her own expense to show support for Mr Quinn and her fellow workers.
“Realistically there will be no work for us in a couple of months maximum if they’re not going to write any more business,” said Ms Brown. Her colleague, Charlene Myles said Quinn Direct’s staff in Britain were shocked to learn that it was a loss-making division.
However, many workers replied “no comment” when asked about Quinn Direct’s breach of solvency rules for insurance firms.
In Cavan, more than 1,500 workers from Cavan and Fermanagh took to the streets chanting “Save Our Jobs”.
They gathered outside the office of the Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith, where they handed over a letter of concern to the Minister for Agriculture’s secretary.
A Quinn spokesman said they were calling for the regulator to overturn a ban on promoting new business in Britain. Ms Mona Bermingham said: “The UK ban is causing the greatest threat to the Group and the whole future of our jobs.”
However, all Quinn staff who spoke to the Irish Examiner said they had no difficulty in taking time off from their job. Most said they did not expect to lose any pay for such action.
Meanwhile, Quinn employees from the Manchester office posed for photos with their placards outside Anglo Irish Bank’s headquarters on St Stephen’s Green, presumably unaware of how Seán Quinn’s investment in the rogue bank had played a major role in their own predicament.
