No funds to pay redundancies, say Clerys liquidators

Liquidators at Clerys in Dublin have told laid-off workers there are no funds to pay redundancies - with the full cost to be claimed from the State.

Liquidators at Clerys in Dublin have told laid-off workers there are no funds to pay redundancies.

The full cost of the layoffs must now be paid by the State.

A meeting between liquidators KPMG and unions representing the 130 workers and over 300 concession workers at the department store has just ended at Liberty Hall.

The unions are now calling on the public to support their demonstrations outside the O’Connell Street store in the days ahead.

John Finn and Maureen Deane, who were long time staff at Clerys, have said that they are devastated.

"I've 43 years' service at Clerys - only two years to go until retirement," said Mr Finn.

"What can you do? It has destroyed a lot of people."

Ms Deane said: "Both myself and my son worked in Clerys - I was there 15 years and he was there 10.

"He was on the way home on Friday when I phoned him to tell him he had no job.

"Then we were called to a meeting and we were told that was the end of the business.

"So it's a real case of profit before people."