Christmas Joy in Town Despite Redundancy Threat — Tuam Sugar Factory Saved
The Herald and Western Advertiser, Saturday, December 24, 1983.
By David Burke, Francis Farragher, Jerome Reilly.
Workers at Tuam Sugar Factory give the thumbs—up after the announcement that the factory will not close. Picture includes Vincent Gaffney, John Connern, Bridie Roche, Jimmy O'Mara and Arthur Joyce. Photo: Ray Ryan.
Tuam Sugar Factory survived the biggest crisis in its 50 year history when the Cabinet decided on Tuesday to keep the plant open, but a number of jobs losses will definitely follow.
The Minister for Agriculture, Deputy Austin Deasy, stated on Tuesday that a substantial saving had to be made in the cost of operating the Tuam factory.
"This will involve a significant reduction in the work force," he stated.
"We don't know if it will ever reach a break—point but we are hopeful the losses can be contained within reason," the Minister added.
But Vincent Gaffney, secretary of the Workers Action Committee, told the Herald on Wednesday that talk of a 50 percent or 75 percent in the workforce was 'totally unthinkable and unimaginable'.
Mr. Gaffney said that since 1980 the work force in the factory had been cut by close on 100, from 370 down to its present figure of 280. He added that this was
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The next two years — or in a shorter period if possible — but this has to be achieved on a careful and planned basis," stated Mr. Gaffney.
Tuesday's decision to keep the plant open ends months of speculation about its future. Since September, 1981, when the Sugar Company announced it was closing Tuam, a massive campaign was mounted by farmers, workers, politicians, and other local bodies to save it.
The Coalition Government of the time, with Alan Dukes Agriculture Minister, after a
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When the Coalition got back into Government in November 1982 the future of the factory was again in doubt.
This morning (Wednesday) the Sugar Company issued the following statement on the Coalition Government's decision to keep the Tuam plant open:
"The implications of the shareholder's decision will be considered by the Company and plans for its implementation will be drawn up."
It is believed that the Sugar Company are still worried about the beet acreage grown in the west of the Shannon. They will be looking for a vastly increased acreage in counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.
Political pressure obviously played a big part in the survival of the factory, according to a statement from Agricultural Minister Deasy, who said: "In the West of Ireland, generally speaking, the people feel that Tuam is their flagship in industry and it would not be just a blow to Tuam but to the people of Galway county and the West of Ireland in general.