03/09/2009

200 Jobs For Dublin Airport

The embers of the failed SR Technics are to bring forth new jobs at the currently closed Dublin aircraft hangers, it has been announced.

Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan has revealed up to 226 jobs could be created by Dublin Aerospace, which is taking over two of the hangars at Dublin Airport previously occupied by the now defunct Irish arm of SR Technics.

The new occupiers, Dublin Aerospace, said it hoped to employ 226 people within five years, following the company’s acquisition of some of the assets of SR Technics.

The controversial closure of SR Technics earlier this year resulted in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs, despite public outcry and the efforts to save the company by the Government.

Spokesperson for Dublin Aerospace, Conor McCarthy, said there was no reason why the company could not build employment levels up to that of SR Technics.

"If we achieve what we want to achieve there's no reason why we wouldn't exceed the numbers by a multiple," he said.

Mr McCarthy added: "We have to build it from scratch - we're not losing our heads, we're not trying to create employment that isn't sustainable."

The union for the previously ousted workers, SIPTU, has tentatively welcomed the announcement, but said more jobs could have been saved from the original debacle.

Branch Organiser Pat Ward said he looked forward to meeting with the management of the company and establishing a good working relationship with them.

“While SIPTU welcomes these jobs I understand there will only be somewhere between 50 and 100 initially.

"We feel that the Minister, her Department and Enterprise Ireland should have done much more to save the 1,350 jobs at SR Technics earlier this year, not to mention making SR Technics meet its €26 million pension obligations to its own workforce," Mr Ward said.

The SIPTU Organiser added: "There were other investment options available that could have saved up to 950 jobs on a cost neutral basis for the exchequer.

"No public relations gloss on 'new jobs' can hide the fact that a lot more could have been achieved."

(DW/KMcA)

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