Two more members of the Government have joined Tánaiste Joan Burton in criticising new owners of Clerys department store in Dublin, after the store was closed with less than 30 minutes notice to workers last week.
Speaking at the weekend, Ms Burton said the treatment of 460 staff was “absolutely despicable”.
On Monday, Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton said “nothing will take away the shock for the workers that have been impacted in this way”.
“I can fully understand how they feel. It’s terrible to lose your job and it’s particularly appalling to lose your job in the circumstances they’ve experienced, very poor communications.”
Mr Bruton said he understood the liquidator had now agreed to meet the unions and people individually, “so hopefully that will give people greater certainty in this very difficult time”.
Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe also criticised the closure and said the State had an interest in the future of the store through its investments in rejuvenating the city centre - particularly through delivery of the Luas which would make Clerys possibly the only department store in Dublin situated midway between two Luas lines.
Mr Donohoe said it was “incumbent” on the new owners to meet the staff and bring clarity to the situation. He described what happened to workers as appalling and it was a “terrible pity” to see employees “treated in this way”.
“What is important to me now, in addition to wanting to see workers entitlements being dealt with, is that I want to see that site that is Clerys continue as a retail core presence in our high street.”
He said this was important “not alone for O’Connell Street” but also to “make sure we make the most of a very large public investment that is underway to deliver Luas cross city”.
Protected Structure
Clerys is a protected structure and sits within an area of architectural conservation as stipulated by the Dublin City Development plan. A council spokeswoman said the status of the iconic clock on the O’Connell Street facade was being checked. As part of a protected structure it is thought it would be protected.
City councillor and lecturer in Town Planning at DIT Ciarán Cuffe said while the council did not micro manage the uses of each building, there would be a strong emphasis on having retail - particularly on the ground floor.
While he said he was aware of pre-planning conversations about converting the upper floors into office space, he said he did not think these had been favourably received by the council.
An Taisce said the "failure" of Government policies to protect city centre shopping, by curbing out-of-town shopping centres, was behind the Clery's closure. Spokesman Charles Stanley-Smith said the 2009 policy on Smarter Travel - A Sustainable Transport Future - A new Transport Policy for Ireland 2009-2020 could have helped stem the drift of commerce from the city centre, but it "had not been implemented".
The organisation also said despite Retail Planning Guidelines to protect urban centres, local councils and An Bord Pleanála were continuing to make decisions expanding car based motorway orientated retail space.
“In the Greater Dublin Area, the Board approved major expansion of retail space at the Kildare Village and Liffey Valley Shopping centre in recent years,” An Taisce said.
The organisation said it would be “seeking the protection of the retail use in Clerys, and would oppose any proposal for office or other uses in the upper floors”.
