Fears for the future of Tara Mines grew at the weekend, when SIPTU regional secretary Mr Jack O'Connor accused its Finnish owners, Outokompu of setting "unrealisable" production targets for the Navan plant, writes Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent. Outokompu has warned that failure to meet the targets by June 1st will led to the mine's closure.
On Saturday a meeting of workers decided to seek details from the company on the £20 million loss it made at Navan last year. It is expected the company will agree to allow SIPTU's research department to examine the books.
So far targets to reduce production costs by up to 25 per cent have been reached, but the company told employees last week that a further cut of 13 per cent is needed by June 1st, if the plant is to remain open.