IT WAS a mass meeting with a difference. The venue was a church but the preacher was no priest nor was he speaking to the converted.
On the altar at Kilnamanagh Church in Tallaght was the local TD and Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, addressing Packard workers.
The church had been offered because no other local venue was deemed big enough to hold the crowd. Mr Rabbitte, who had asked to address those present, defended his role in the closure of the beleaguered Tallaght plant.
It was a heated meeting.
Rather comically a local woman, not knowing a meeting was going on inside, entered the church with the intention of saying a quiet prayer. It was just as the Minister had crossed swords with one of the workers.
"Lord God, the last thing I expected to see was Pat Rabbitte on the altar," she said as she left.
The "congregation" wanted to discuss redundancy terms for the remaining 400 workers and how they would address a forthcoming offer from the Labour Court. Next Friday the first batch of redundancies is due to begin.
The company has offered five weeks' pay for each year of service. These were the terms given to Packard workers in previous redundancies but the workers are unhappy with this offer and have been conducting a protest campaign aimed at General Motors Ireland, which owns Packard and sells Opel cars.
At present there is an injunction preventing pickets outside Opel garages but this didn't stop them wearing T-shirts similar to those worn by Irish soccer supporters calling Opel "Ireland's number one job destroyer" and urging that they be put under pressure for more jobs.
The workers wanted the Minister to "get off the fence" and urge a boycott of Opel cars, just as he had called for a boycott of Shell [products earlier in the week. He did not do so.
Ms Sandra Tate, who has worked in Packard for 10 years, asked the Minister why he had taken so long, to "show his face to the workers.
Defending himself, Mr Rabbitte explained he couldn't just walk into the plant. Ms Tate responded by saying he could have shown solidarity by simply standing out side with the workers, his constituents.
"Not only that, we had 10 wait the news until we heard that you heard about it at 9 a.m.," she continued. "If you ask me your main concern is not to rock.
The boat with General Motors so that you get your hands on the plant".
"Actually, I didn't ask you," he replied. "At the end of the day this is a judgment call. You have to decide if it helps your case or, at [the end of the day, alienates a possible friend. You may be right and I may be wrong.
"And he said, if I'm short tempered with someone who apparently does not think it is important to get our hands on the plant."
He said Opel Ireland's managing director, Mr Arnold O'Byrne had used his "clout" with General Motors' board in the United States.
The workers were also concerned with exactly why it was decided to close the plant and when the decision was taken. They were also seeking reassurances about who would be re-employed if another company took over the Tallaght plant.
"I suppose you expect me to, stand up here and say that only, Packard workers will be allowed back through the Packard gate."
I'm afraid I can't tell you any such thing, even though it is my earnest wish that would be the case. But I would be telling an untruth.
"However, I an assure you that securing the plant and getting jobs' for Tallaght is a top priority."