Sir, - The shock news that the Semperit tyre factory on Killeen Road, Ballyfermot, is to cease production in December is a cruel, crushing blow to 650 workers and their families. In addition to these huge job losses, there are hundreds of jobs involved in subcontracting of various services to this plant.
The people of Ballyfermot have lost more manufacturing industry - in the past 20 years than any other area of the country. To date, the State agencies charged with attracting inward investments are bankrupt of any solutions to stem the tide of closures.
In the past few years Babygro, Hely, Hanson, Laura Ashley and, recently, Bee Line have all closed. In addition to the hundreds employed in these companies, we lost thousands of manual jobs in the motor assembly lines which closed in the 1970s and early 1980s. The response from the State sector has being to condemn thousands of people to a lifetime - on the dole, as there has not been one single inward investment project in the area.
I would like to ask Minister Bruton if he will ensure, in the event of the total loss of tyremaking at Ballyfermot, that a high powered Government task force will be set up to attract employment generating projects into this area. Or will he do what his predecessors have done, and allow a whole community die in the midst of high levels of unemployment?
The workforce at the Ballyfermot Plant over the past few years has worked hard to make this plant a profitable entity for the parent company, but time and circumstances have shown us that hard work is simply not enough in today's world. I have been involved in local politics for the past six years, and I can honestly say that this decision has cast the darkest shadow on the people of Ballyfermot. What about the future for our young people? Will this be the final act before someone in the present Government puts party politics on the shelf, and focuses attention on what this blight of unemployment is doing in our community?
I have, over the past three years, been invited to the plant on two occasions. The first, in 1993, was on the completion of the £25 million, publicly funded investment programme to modernise the plant. The second time was April 1995, for the success in achieving the Quality Mark 9002 Award. So what went wrong?
How can any company receive £25 million investment without having a long term commitment to the future? I would ask that the Minister for Enterprise and Employment ensures these funds are returned to the State and that reinvestment will be the priority for the future of our community. - Yours, etc.,
Councillor
Community councillor Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Drumfinn Avenue, Ballyfermot,
Dublin 10.