Coughlan accused of failing former SR Technics workers

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has been accused of failing former SR Technics workers with delays while she was in charge of the Department of Enterprise meaning that much of a €7.5 million retraining fund supplied by the EU may have to be returned unspent.

Former workers at the Dublin Airport aircraft maintenance plant have complained that a failure promptly to access the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) will see many of the those made redundant by the Swiss company able only to pay for a month of their studies from a fund that was supposed to train them for a new career.

Officials from the departments of Education and Skills and Social Protection briefed hundreds of ex-SRT employees last week, where details of the EGF fund allocation were revealed.