DAGGER THROUGH HEART OF FERMOY AS QUINN PULLOUT COMPLETE
Quinn-healthcare’s move from its Fermoy base to its new home in Little Island has been completed in the last week. The relocation to the new Quinn Insurance complex on the outskirts of Cork city was finished ahead of the envisaged August completion date and means that only a skeleton staff remain at the Fermoy headquarters at Mill Island.
Speaking to The Avondhu, Fermoy Town Mayor, Noel McCarthy, said it was ‘devastating’ for the town’s businesses and added that the full impact of the move may not be realised until the council look to the volume of rates from struggling businesses it can expect to receive next year. He added that the move has a human dimension also.
“When canvassing I met people who had moved to the area on account of having a job with Quinn. This will be a problem for the staff who moved from Cork city to the area, to places like Fermoy, Glanworth and Kilworth, only now to be commuting in the other direction.”
Fellow town councillor and chairman of the Fermoy Enterprise Board Michael Hanley described the decision by Quinn-healthcare to leave as ‘a dagger through the heart of the town’.
“One need only walk to the end of the town to sample the atmosphere down there now, desolate with the jobs lost,” Cllr Hanley said.
“Not only is it a case of jobs lost but the really serious matter is the type of jobs that were lost, the removal of office based jobs. It is very important to have a mix of different types of employment in the town.”
“With respect to the Enterprise Board we will be every bit as resourceful in assisting in anyway we can to attract new industry. John McCarthy, who was so successful in securing BUPA for his premises will no doubt use his considerable business acumen to source an alternative exercise and suitable employment venture for the site as its owner, and if the Enterprise Board is required we will be only too happy to help and to throw our weight behind him,” Cllr Hanley insisted.
Cllr Hanley concluded by giving Quinn-healthcare credit for saving the jobs in the town that were threatened by BUPA’s pullout from the Irish market.
“There is no doubt that credit is due to Quinn for stepping up when BUPA was condemned by what Mary Harney and the Government tried to pull off but failed. We lost a very nice company to this town that time, lessons must be learned from that and it cannot be forgotten.”
As the Quinn employees depart to pastures new, the rumour mill is in full flight in Fermoy this week with talk of restaurant and coffee shop closures, house prices dropping even further and a general air of doom and gloom as a result of the pull out by the high profile company.
Published:
Thursday 2nd July 6:45pm
