Irish Glass workers march on Leinster House

More than 200 workers from the Irish Glass Bottle plant in Dublin have begun a march to Leinster House and IBEC headquarters in protest at what they say is contemptuous treatment by management.

The factory in Ringsend is due to close on Friday, with the loss of more than 380 jobs.

The workers claim that management is not honouring a deal on severance pay agreed at recent Labour Court talks.

Mick Duffy, one of the protestors on today’s march, said the company is "treating its staff with contempt".

"They are saying that all they are prepared to give us is statutory redundancy, which is totally unacceptable," he said.

"There are men that have given their whole life working down there. There are young men down there that have made commitments, mortgage-wise, and they’re all devastated.

"As from Friday, they have no job and no prospect of the place ever opening again."