Bruton to update Taoiseach on Vita Cortex boss

Workers at the Vita Cortex plant in Cork are hoping that a crucial meeting today between the Taoiseach and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton will bring an end to their dispute with management over redundancies.

Enda Kenny is due to meet Mr Bruton later for an update on the State’s investigation into Vita Cortex boss Jack Ronan’s complex business empire.

It was launched after the millionaire Tipperary businessman claimed Vita Cortex’s "inability to pay" the workers their 2.9 weeks’ per year of service redundancy, despite the fact he oversees a diverse range of business interests.

The State is picking up the tab for the two weeks element of the redundancy payment.

The workers want Mr Ronan to pay the 0.9 week element — a cost to him of €372,000.

Some 32 workers at the former foam manufacturing plant have been staging a sit-in at the factory in Ballyphehane for the past 54 days.