This article is from page 4 of the 2007-04-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
has learned.
This follows last week’s announce- ment of the sale of the family-owned business to the North South Pig Company, with the loss of between 40 and 60 jobs. A delegation from the IFA met with the Duffy family last week and confirmed that in ex- cess of €400,000 was still owed to farmers.
The factory has refused to issue any form of payment to farmers, even though they are currently still trad- bate
“Many of these pig producers are family-farm operators, who are reli- ant on this money to remain in busi- ness,’ said IFA pig committee chair- man, Michael Maguire, who called on the AIB to mediate with the Duffys on behalf of the farmers.
“The most alarming aspect for these farmers is that bank cheques have not been issued for three to four weeks, despite reassurances that they would.
“Considering the asset value of the plant and surrounding land is valued 71 He eos ONO B(O)e mmr Te(G Mm Hs (omme-Celmm Oer-lmmre| high percentage of these pig produc- ers are AIB customers, the onus is on AJB to bring about a satisfactory solution to this issue.”
Meanwhile, it is now believed that North South Pig Company will con- tinue to use the facility as a slaugh- terhouse but will discontinue all de- boning and other processing work.
This would mostly likely mean job losses in the region of 60 people, as opposed to the 80 jobs reported in the national media last week.
Dutffy’s was the first company in the Gort area to start employing Brazilian workers who immigrated from the town of Anapolis. It is also likely that the majority of job losses will come from the Brazilian com- munity.
Plant owner Sean Duffy began Gort’s connection with Brazil after a trip to South America some 10 years ago, when he brought back three skilled workers.
In recent years, the population of Gort has climbed to more than 2,400 people, including some 600 Brazil- TE DaWDOObSOUESS eeDOT ASE