Staff to protest Clerys after sudden closure

The closure of Clerys department store has been described as a "bolt from the blue".

The deputy leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonalds, has described the closure of Clerys department store as a "bolt from the blue", as staff pledge to protest.

Over 400 staff at the iconic shop on Dublin's O'Connell Street found out they were to lose their jobs yesterday, with immediate effect.

Former workers hold up banners marked "Justice for Clerys Workers". pic.twitter.com/hq7TtnaoPv

— Today FM News (@TodayFMNews) June 13, 2015

The main doors were shut at 5.30pm in the evening and workers were told the company had gone into liquidation, amid multi-million Euro losses.

Clerys has been bought by the real estate firm, Natrium, a joint Irish and UK business.

Staff have vowed to protest over the closure, and Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald says she can understand why.

"It has been literally a bolt form the blue that said there had been difficulties … [of which] the staff were aware," she said.

"Certainly, they had absolutely no indication that something as dramatic and final as this was about to happen.

"I think the manner in which they have been treated - the manner in which news was broken to the staff - was absolutely disgraceful."

The group representing the retail sector, Retail Excellence Ireland, has called the closure of Clerys a "sad day for the industry".

Yesterday, a SIPTU organiser said staff had been "thrown out on their ear", which was "not acceptable" and said the union would be fighting the move.

SIPTU workers met this morning to discuss what action to take.