IFI closure: Ahern to meet union officials

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to meet union officials in Cork today to discuss the closure of Irish Fertiliser Industries with the loss of 620 jobs in Cobh, Arklow and Belfast.

Yesterday, hundreds of the laid-off workers marched on the Department of Employment in Dublin to protest at the their treatment since the Government decided to put the company into liquidation.

The staff said Tanaiste Mary Harney had promised the Government would put aside money for a redundancy package for the workers.

However, SIPTU has described yesterday's offer of up to two-and-a-half weeks' pay per year of service as 'wholly inadequate'.