Workers and businesses affected by the restructuring of the Quinn Group gathered today outside Dáil Éireann to present a petition signed by over 90,000 people to the Minister for Finance.
The petition contained a proposal the protesters maintained would save jobs and protect the Quinn Group businesses, which "underpinned the economies and social fabric of the Border areas".
However, unknown to the protesters, a receiver was appointed to the Quinn Group as they approached the gates of the Dáil in a move that appears to have guaranteed all jobs within the group.
While word of this agreement did filter somewhat through the protest, many were left unaware of it as their representatives – accompanied by Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin – went through the gates of the Dáil to present the petition to Michael Noonan.
"If the Government doesn't accept the proposal it means that thousands of jobs are going to be lost and can the Government live with that? Putting extra money to the dole to pay for that" said Joanne Bell from Monaghan, who works as an employee of Quinn Radiators.
Standing alongside Quinn Group workers were business owners who said they would be negatively affected should Quinn Insurance be removed from the market.
Former Irish rugby international Shane Byrne, who owns Arklow Waste Disposal, said times were hard enough as it was and that businesses could not afford higher premiums.
"We have a fleet of about 25 vehicles and we're insured currently with Quinn Direct, and what we are saying is that when they entered the market, insurance prices went down. The ripple effect is that if they are pulled from the market all insurance premiums are going to go up," he said.
"This is going to be felt by everybody and there is an alternative route to it, there's 90,000 signatures given there, and I don't think there's anybody in [the Dáil] that got 90,000 votes, and it's a voice that should be heard."
Speaking before they presented the petition to Mr Noonan, John Fitzpatrick, representing the Quinn Employee Forum, echoed a sentiment expressed by many at the protest: that some of the Quinn Group would be sold to foreign investors.
"We firmly believe that if Quinn Insurance is disposed of to any foreign entity that there will be no job security for employees in the insurance business and that a domino effect will be created which will jeopardise the other successful companies in the group" he said.
Protesters said they feared that over 6,000 direct employees of the Quinn Group could be in jeopardy of losing their jobs while 15,000 others, employed in companies servicing Quinn, would also be affected.