O'Keeffe for talks with Quinn staff

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe is to meet Quinn Insurance worker representatives in Cavan tomorrow…

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe is to meet Quinn Insurance worker representatives in Cavan tomorrow.

Mr O'Keeffe said he wanted to continue his engagement with the Quinn Insurance workers who he had met several times in recent weeks.

'Tomorrow, I will reiterate my pledge that, as a Government, we will do all in our power to help those workers who lose their jobs to find new ones," he said in a statement.

Some 900 posts at Quinn Insurance are to be made redundant over the next 15 months under a plan drawn up by joint administrators.

Mr O'Keeffe will be joined at tomorrow's meeting, which will take place at the Kilmore Hotel, by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and and Cavan/Monaghan TD Brendan Smith

Separately, Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny said his party wanted to “show solidarity” with Quinn workers as he arrived to meet a delegation in Cavan earlier today.

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He also met with businesses connected to Quinn Insurance and with representatives of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Kenny confirmed he had met with businessman Seán Quinn and his management team in Sligo in recent weeks.

"Fine Gael in opposition do not have executive authority to make decisions about the Quinn Group but we are here today...to show solidarity with the distresse caused to Quinn workers, to hear their views and to reflect on what it is that we can do," he said.

Speaking after the meeting with Mr Kenny, Quinn workers representative Mona Bermingham said it was productive. "It's frustrating because they're not in power and as much as they'd like to do A,B and C, they're limited as to what they can do," she said.