Visteon investments could be recovered, says Foster

Almost £100,000 (€110,000) could be clawed back in government investments in the collapsed Visteon car parts plant in the North, the North's Enterprise Minister said today.

Stormont chief Arlene Foster said her officials were not told that the troubled factory in west Belfast was shutting with the loss of 210 jobs.

Workers there refused to leave the premises and want redundancy packages agreed with former employer Ford honoured.

Ms Foster warned: “The letter of offer contained clauses to protect (government jobs body) Invest NI’s investment and, where appropriate, claw back of monies paid will be invoked.”

Invest NI provided Visteon with financial assistance worth £97,210 (€107,205) in 2003 to develop a fuel rail, a pipe used to deliver fuel to injectors on engines.

The information was released following a query from West Belfast MP Gerry Adams.

US-based Visteon closed its doors on its three UK centres last Tuesday.

Ms Foster added that the viability of Visteon Belfast had been an issue for a number of years, with management trying to reduce costs.

“I am assured that Invest NI were exploring how Visteon could be encouraged to continue to operate in Belfast and would have reported to me on the outcome of such discussions,” she said.

“Unfortunately, the decision to place Visteon UK in administration was taken without any reference to Invest NI or the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.”

She said her department held meetings with Visteon managers in February and March and had been due to meet on Wednesday.

Last week workers at two plants in England, in Enfield, north London, and Basildon, Essex, were also made redundant and joined the Belfast protests.

Leaders from the Unite union are calling for compensation from the company’s former owners Ford car manufacturer.

On Sunday, workers in Belfast held a family day to show support for the sit in. Well-wishers have provided food and support.

Mr Adams has spoken to Ford Europe’s head John Fleming and raised the matter with the New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who has pension funds invested at Ford.