THERE WAS more bad news on the jobs front in Limerick yesterday when it emerged that Banta Global Turnkey is to shed 65 jobs.
The loss of jobs at the Raheen-based company has been linked to the growing uncertainty over the future of Dell in Limerick.
Banta is a major supplier to Dell computers, and at one point the company employed 700 people at its Limerick facility.
Last week, Flextronics, another one of Dell's suppliers also based at the Raheen Industrial Estate, announced that at least 100 jobs were at risk in the company.
Some 700 temporary workers at Dell were also let go last week, prompting fears of further cuts at the city's biggest employer.
Staff at Banta Turnkey Solutions in Limerick were informed by company management earlier this week that 65 voluntary redundancies were being sought.
It is understood that redundancy terms of 6½ weeks' pay for each year of service, including the two-week statutory Government allowance, have been offered by the company.
Fine Gael's Limerick East TD Kieran O'Donnell yesterday called on Tánaiste Mary Coughlan to seek a direct meeting with Michael Dell, and for the Government to establish a taskforce on employment and retraining in Limerick.
"Dell is too important to the Limerick region, with many thousands of other jobs linked into the Dell plant, and proactive measures on the part of Government are imperative," said Mr O'Donnell.
"When you consider that Dell accounts for over 5 per cent of contribution to Ireland's GNP and 4 per cent of all expenditure in the Irish economy, one clearly realises its vital importance to Limerick and the midwest where the major Dell activity in Ireland occurs."