Fine Gael Cork South Central Deputy, Jerry Buttimer, has paid tribute to the resilience and determination of the Vita Cortex workers following the resolution of the 20 week dispute last night.
 
“The resilience and determination of the Vita Cortex workers over the course of the sit-in has been an inspiration.  I am delighted that all parties have agreed to an acceptable resolution to the dispute.
 
“Each time I met with the Vita Cortex workers I was struck by their sincerity and their positive attitude. The mutual support shown by the members of the group enabled them to stick it out for a staggering 20 weeks.  They had received great support from across the local community and I know that this support was deeply appreciated.
 
“There have been many parties involved in bringing this dispute to an end.  Kieran Mulvey and his team in the Labour Relations Commission, SIPTU and IBEC have all played important roles in the process.  It is also important to recognise the engagement by the company in making an offer that was agreeable to all involved.
 
“In December, when this dispute began, the workers were genuine in their demands. They were seeking what had initially been offered, and indeed what had been given to former colleagues.  It was this genuine and dignified approach which resonated with the public, gathering support locally, nationally and internationally. I applaud them for the manner in which they have conducted themselves over the past four months and wish them well for the future.”
 
Ends

Posted under Carrigaline, Cork, Cork City, Douglas, Employment, South Central, South East, South West

Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central, Jerry Buttimer, has today (Friday) welcomed the announcement by Apple that it is creating 500 new jobs in its Cork operation.
 
“This is fantastic news for Cork which has been the home of Apple in Ireland for the last 30 years. Today’s announcement is testament to the faith Apple has in the quality of the Irish workforce, by showing that we can provide the technical expertise to support the expansion of its growing business across Europe.
 
“Today’s announcement comes on the back of a number of significant foreign investment announcements over the last number of months.
 
“Creating jobs is the Government’s number one priority and I would like to thank the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, as well as the IDA, who have been working closely with Apple over the last few months, both in the USA and Ireland, to make today’s announcement happen.”

Posted under Carrigaline, Cork, Cork City, Douglas, Economic, Employment, South Central, South East, South West

Cork South Central Fine Gael TD, Jerry Buttimer, has said that the Credit Guarantee Bill 2012, which has been published by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, will make it easier for small and medium businesses in Cork to access credit and create jobs.
 
“Access to credit is the biggest single challenge facing businesses across Cork. Every week I meet local business people who express their frustration and dismay at their inability to access credit from the banks. Small and medium businesses need a reliable stream of credit to function, particularly in the current difficult trading environment. The Credit Review Bill will directly tackle this problem.
 
“The Bill provides for the establishment of the Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, which will help commercial viable SMEs struggling to get finance. It will support businesses that have insufficient collateral, and those that are operating in sectors with which the banks are not familiar. Under the Scheme the State will provide a 75% guarantee to banks against losses on loans they give to firms with growth potential.
 
“This will allow for tens of millions of euro to flow into Irish business, which, in turn, can strengthen and expand their operations and create jobs. Initially, the Scheme will facilitate an extra €150 million in lending per year – that will benefit more than 1,800 businesses across the country. This lending will be on top of the lending targets already set down for the two pillar banks.
 
“There are obvious positive knock on benefits for the wider economy from this Scheme. By supporting viable businesses, the Government is helping to get people off the live register and stimulate local economic activity. It’s estimated that there will be a net gain for the Exchequer of €25 million per €150 million in lending.
 
“For the businesses involved there are also benefits beyond the initial access to credit; the Scheme will allow them to build up a positive track record with the lender, which should make it easier to secure traditional loans in the future.
 
“The publication of the Credit Guarantee Bill is a key commitment under quarter one of the Action Plan for Jobs. A range of other measures under the plan will be delivered this year aimed at improving conditions to help businesses to flourish and create jobs.”

Posted under Economic, Employment, National Work