WORKERS AND businesses affected by the restructuring of the Quinn Group gathered yesterday outside Dáil Éireann to present a petition, signed by more than 90,000 people, to the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan.
The petition contained a proposal which, the protesters maintained, would save jobs and protect the Quinn Group businesses.
However, unknown to them, a receiver was being appointed to the group’s general insurance business, and the manufacturing business was being radically restructured even as the protest approached the gates of the Dáil.
While word of the actions, which will protect all Irish jobs in the group, did filter somewhat through to the protest, many were left unaware of it as representatives proceeded to present the petition to Mr Noonan.
“If the Government doesn’t accept the proposal, it means that thousands of jobs are going to be lost – and can the Government live with that?” said Joanne Bell from Monaghan, who works as an employee of Quinn Radiators.
Former Irish rugby international Shane Byrne, who owns Arklow Waste Disposal, said that businesses would suffer if Quinn Insurance left the market.
“We have a fleet of about 25 vehicles and we’re insured currently with Quinn Direct. When they entered the market insurance prices went down. The ripple effect is that if they are pulled from the market, all insurance premiums are going to go up,” he said.
John Fitzpatrick, representing the Quinn Employee Forum, echoed comments from many protesters when he expressed a desire that the ownership of the group remain Irish.
“We firmly believe that if Quinn Insurance is disposed of to any foreign entity, there will be no job security for employees in the insurance business, and a domino effect will be created which will jeopardise the other successful companies in the group,” he said.
Fears for the survival of the Quinn group spurred small farmers Peer Lunney, Pat McGovern, Frank Maguire, Gerry Corrigan and Michael Lee to join the protest.
All workers with the group, they come from Co Fermanagh, and wanted their neighbours, the Quinns, to retain control of the business.
“If the men are not working directly for the company, they run little businesses which get them work as a result of Quinn’s, and many of the wives and children work either in the insurance or the other operations,” said Pat Gilhooley, the new chairman of the Irish Farmers’ Association in Leitrim.
