Donegal Councillors Meet Over Jobs Crisis

Councillors in the North West will come face-to-face with senior management for the first time since news of the job cuts broke at the Donegal Council's monthly meeting.

Last week, it emerged that 71 temporary contract employees are to be let go from the Council by Christmas.

Donegal County Councillors will now meet with the County Manager today as fears for the future of further posts - expected to be well over 200 - continues to grow.

Following meetings between union representatives and senior management, the IMPACT trade union said the Council is seeking 238 job losses over the next number of months.

The issue is set to top the agenda of today's meeting.

The Council itself has already come in for criticism from councillors who feel they have been left in the dark over the job cuts.

A Donegal TD, Joe McHugh, has already expressed concerns that the loss of so many front-line workers will seriously undermine public services in his constituency.

Deputy McHugh has written to the Minister for Environment and Local Government asking him to delay the job cuts until such time as their implications for public services in the county are assessed.

He said: "Donegal County Council and the Minister for the Environment must clarify the nature and the extent of these job losses.

"We have been told that 238 jobs are under review, but we have not been told which jobs are under review.

"The Government must clarify its decision to cut funding of Donegal County Council by €1.5 million (5.9%) this year," he said last week.

Just weeks ago, a Ballyshannon-based mechanical engineering firm issued protective notice to some 100 staff - placing those posts in jeopardy too.

A car manufacturing company Kirchoff in Letterkenny have also put all of their 120 strong staff on protective notice as a result of General Motors in Europe closing down its operation for a few weeks in October.

(BMcC)