270 jobs are to go at Liberty Insurance in Cavan, Blanchardstown and Enniskillen.

115 of those jobs are expected to go from their offices on the Dublin Road in Cavan.

The US-owned group – which bought out Quinn Insurance four years ago – is closing its UK retail arm which is serviced from Ireland.

They say the business has been heavily loss making, leaving Liberty with no option but to exit the UK retail market.

Employees were addressed at briefings in Cavan, Dublin and Enniskillen today where they were told that a total of 270 jobs will go at the three locations over the next 18 months.

It is expected that there could be approximately 135 redundancies in Dublin, 115 jobs will go in Cavan as part of the move with an additional 20 jobs losses in Enniskillen.

However in a statement to Northern Sound News, they say the final number of redundancies are uncertain until the conclusion of the process.

The company employs just under 1,000 people in Ireland.

Staff were told today that the company will commence the process of seeking the 270 voluntary led redundancies.

In addition, the company today announced plans to transfer its contact centre in Enniskillen Co. Fermanagh and 210 employees to a 3rd party company that specialises in customer management, a move which they claim could potentially lead to further growth opportunities for the centre.

They say the details of these plans will be announced once a preferred partner is agreed and contracts finalised.

In the meantime, 270 voluntary redundancies – 115 in Cavan, 135 in Dublin and 20 in Enniskillen will be sought over the next 18 months.

These people in Cavan have been giving their reaction to the news to our reporter Tessa Fleming.

11.36am – Fine Gael TD Joe O’Reilly’s –  Statement

“I was very distressed and upset to hear the sad news this morning. My heart goes out to the workers and the families involved, especially those based in Cavan. This is a real tragedy for them and I fully recognise that this is a major blow to be dealt, as their whole lives were built around their jobs.

I have already been in touch with Minister Bruton and his Office and I will remain so, on a constant basis, over the coming days. I am assured by him that all steps will be taken to alleviate this matter. The priority of Government, over the coming days, is to assist the affected workers who received this terrible news. The important thing is to try to get them all back to work, as soon as possible.

Minister Bruton has assured me that in the interim, he will be contacting Minster for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD and her Department, to make sure that all necessary assistance will be put in place for the workers (Information on Welfare options, further training and education, back to work schemes etc…).

Ultimately, this is distressing news for everyone involved and my goal now is to ensure that everything possible will be done, at Government level, to replace the jobs that were lost.”

12.00pm TD Joe O’Reilly update

I have had another telephone conversation with Minister Bruton and he has once again assured me that all necessary State Agencies will be put in place to assist the impacted workers. I also said that, in the context of the new Border Enterprise Strategy, every effort will be made to replace the jobs that are lost.

12.02pm – Minister Humphreys expresses sympathy with Liberty Insurance employees – Statement

“The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, has today (Thursday) expressed her sympathy with workers at Liberty Insurance, following the announcement that the company is seeking to cut up to 115 jobs at its Cavan facility.  Minister Humphreys said:“This is devastating news for workers at Liberty Insurance in Cavan. The company’s decision to exit the UK market will have a major impact on its operations here and news of these expected job losses is extremely disappointing for Cavan town.

“Many of the workers at Liberty would of course have previously worked with Quinn Insurance, and have gone through a lot of upheaval and uncertainty in recent years. Today’s announcement will have come as a major blow for all staff at Liberty and for their families.

“The Cavan job losses are part of a wider cost cutting plan being implemented at Liberty’s facilities in Ireland. The company has said that the job losses will be implemented on a voluntary basis over the next year and a half. This provides some time for workers to find alternative employment.

“I have spoken to the CEO of Liberty and impressed upon him the need to do everything possible to assist staff. I understand that there may be transfer options available for staff and it is very important that these options are explored fully.

“Liberty is a huge international insurance company and it is vital that fair redundancy packages are put in place. The supports of all the relevant State agencies will be made available to workers.  “Even after these job losses, Liberty will remain a major employer in Cavan town. It is very important, therefore, that Liberty has said it remains fully committed to building a successful business in Ireland.

“The Government is committed to supporting job creation in the regions. The Border Region Action Plan for Jobs, which includes Cavan and Monaghan, will be published after the summer and will play a very important role in driving job creation in both counties.”

13.36pm – Senator Kathryn Reilly devastated by the news of huge redundancies at Liberty Insurance – Statement

Speaking in the Seanad this morning, Cavan Sinn Féin Senator Kathryn Reilly raised the devastating news of the 270 proposed redundancies at Liberty Insurance, 115 of which have been announced for Cavan.

Senator Reilly stated:

“Any job loss is a tragedy, but job losses on this scale are a terrible devastation, in particular to the 270 workers affected, their families, their communities, and the economy. The job losses in Cavan are quite severe, and it will no doubt adversely affect the county and even further afield.

“These proposed redundancies come in stark contrast to the government’s position on continuous job creation. The reality in Cavan is much different, and the distressing news of these job losses has had the unfortunate effect of highlighting this once again.

“Cavan and other regions in rural Ireland have particularly suffered under this government. The county has only had a paltry 10 IDA visits since 2008.

“It is important that the government is ready to act in response to these proposed redundancies. If any of the workers need upskilling or reskilling then it should be provided, but in the main these will be very skilled and will need access to markets where their skills are applicable.

“Therefore, it is important that the government and the IDA meet with companies who can provide the type of employment needed for these workers and see if they can be brought to Cavan.”

In concluding, Senator Reilly called on the leader to facilitate Minister Bruton to address the Seanad on the redundancies, a call which was accepted by the leader.”

14.17pm – Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin – Statement

The announcement this morning that Liberty Insurance is to cut 270 jobs in Ireland, including 115 in Cavan is “devastating news for those who currently work in Liberty, particularly those in Cavan, their families and interdependent businesses who have relied on this large employer in the area” stated Cavan/Monaghan Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

Deputy Ó Caoláin stated;

“This development is absolutely outrageous. Almost one third of their entire workforce is to be laid off. We cannot accept a situation where the company simply dumps such a large number of their workers. I have no doubt but that this would have a disproportionate effect on the whole community in Cavan.

“Liberty Insurance have a lot more information to give. While the insurers have said that the redundancies will be voluntary we all know what happens when there are too few applicants for such schemes. More information must be shared with workers and those of us interested in the welfare of all involved.

“I will write directly to the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs & Innovation Richard Bruton T.D. requesting his immediate contact with management in Liberty to examine what can be done to revisit this decision. The Government must do everything within its power to ensure that this massive job loss does not happen in the first instance and that they put contingency plans in place if it is to go ahead” concluded Ó Caoláin.”

15.41pm – Department of Social Protection supports will be available for Liberty Insurance workers who need them – Statement 

“Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, T.D. has pledged that a range of Department of Social Protection income and employment supports will be available for Liberty Insurance worker who need them following today’s announcement.

The Tánaiste said: “My first thoughts are with the staff following this very difficult news today. While Liberty Insurance has stated that it will be seeking voluntary redundancies, nevertheless this will have an impact on livelihoods and local businesses in Blanchardstown, Cavan and Enniskillen. I would like to assure the employees of Liberty Insurance based in these three locations that officials in the Department of Social Protection will be available to provide advice on social welfare supports and entitlements should they decide to take voluntary redundancy.”
The Department of Social Protection will contact Liberty Insurance in each of these locations this afternoon with a view to arrange possible briefing sessions for employees of the company.

At briefings of this type, officials from the Department advise the employees who opt for voluntary redundancies, on the Intreo process, jobseeker’s payments and redundancy entitlements as well as information on other schemes, including Rent Supplement.  Information is also given in relation to options and assistance available relating to returning to work, and in relation to Short Term Enterprise Allowance, as well as training and education options.

The Tánaiste added: “I would urge management in Liberty Insurance to arrange for its employees to be given the time to avail of the briefing services being offered by the Department.   We will make every effort to ensure that they have all necessary information on their social welfare entitlements in the event that they are required.”

17.42pm Brendan Smith –Statement

“Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan, Brendan Smith, has expressed his serious disappointment following the announcement by Liberty Insurance that it’s planning to cut 270 jobs at its offices in Cavan, Enniskillen and Dublin. The jobs will be phased out over the next 18 months as the company seeks voluntary redundancies.  Deputy Smith commented, “The news this morning will have come as a terrible blow to staff at Liberty Insurance and their families. The cuts appear to have come out of the blue and have come about as a result of the company’s decision to withdraw from the British motor insurance market. 115 workers in Cavan, 20 in Enniskillen, and 135 in Blanchardstown are now facing uncertain futures, many of them with families, mortgages and other responsibilities. This is an extremely daunting prospect and my thoughts are with the workers following this most disappointing decision by Liberty Insurance.

“Liberty Insurance, formerly Quinn Insurance, has been an extremely important and major employer in Cavan since the mid-1990s. The sale of Quinn Insurance to Liberty Insurance was concluded in October 2011. The company statement today states that they employ over 950 people in Cavan, Enniskillen, Blanchardstown and London. The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, in April 2011 stated, in relation to the sale of Quinn Insurance, that he welcomed the positives of the proposed agreement in that almost all of 1,500 jobs in Quinn Insurance would be retained. Unfortunately, in the meantime, there has been a severe reduction in the level of employment in Liberty Insurance.

“I have called on the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to engage immediately with Liberty Insurance with a view to the retention of the maximum level of employment in this company. He must also get answers from the company in relation to the commitments they made at the time of the purchase of Quinn Insurance.

“A very serious effort needs to be made by the Jobs Minister and the statutory agencies to support employees who now face redundancy. The needs of redundant workers, whether in the area of retraining or upskilling, must be addressed and I know that there is a very committed and highly skilled workforce in Liberty Insurance. The least that they deserve is the full support of the State agencies to ensure that they are not deprived of the opportunity to successfully re-enter the workplace again.”

18.35 Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton – Statement

“Clearly our first thoughts are with the workers and their families as they face this difficult news. All the supports of the State, in terms of retraining, placement, entrepreneurship, access to social welfare and employment rights supports,  will be made available to the workers as needed. IDA Ireland will be meeting with the company in the coming days to explore how it can assist with these processes.

I note the statements by the company that it is fully committed to Ireland, that it will be seeking voluntary-led redundancies and that these will take place over an 18-month period. This sector faces challenges caused by an increasingly competitive insurance market across the UK and Ireland and difficulties related to the numbers of people taking up premiums.

Today’s announcement is a reminder that we must constantly battle to maintain the jobs we have and create new ones. Thankfully we are winning significantly more than we are losing, with jobs up substantially both nationally and in the counties affected over recent years.

IDA and Enterprise Ireland have had a number of successes in Cavan/Monaghan and Blanchardstown recently and will now step up efforts to win further projects for the areas affected, and through the regional jobs plans we will build further jobs growth across the country in the coming years.”