A Connemara printing and publishing company faces closure, with the loss of 14 jobs, due to the economic downturn.
CL Print, also known as Clódóirí Lurgan, was founded in 1972 and is based near An Spidéal in the Connemara gaeltacht.
Initiated by a local co-operative, it was owned by several private interests over the years – including businessman Pádraig Ó Céidigh.
The company specialised in book printing and binding, much of it through the Irish language. Most of its staff are native Irish speakers who have been with the company from the outset.
Sinn Féin senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh called for a rescue package to be put together with input from Gaeltacht state agency Údaras na Gaeltachta to try and save some of the jobs and expertise at the company.
“Clódoirí Lurgan has been a long-established employer in the Gaeltacht, working through Irish, and this comes as an enormous psychological blow in south Connemara, “Senator Ó Clochartaigh said.
The company had acquired a new Rapida 75 five-colour printing press several years ago but experienced a fall in orders due to the contracting economy in recent months.