More Savage FAS Cuts In Bawnogue Clondalkin

by Sharon. - Individual. Mon Feb 05, 2018 14:56

Hi again, John!

I can only refer you, again, to the threads I have already mentioned in relation to the JI bosses in the Nangor Road premises in Clondalkin and County Hall in Tallaght (see the 'Related Link' url's, above) and I'll point out, again, that there are others on those threads who share the same concerns as I do in relation to the 'job schemes' mentioned. And equally surprising is what neighbours don't talk about to their neighbours, especially in relation to the finer details re their job, knowing that the person they are talking to is not employed in the same venue.
There is indeed 'two sides to a story'.

Thanks!
Sharon.

by John G Mon Feb 05, 2018 00:06

Hi Sharon,

I spoke to my neighbours about the information you posted and told them about the thread and they still say they have no issues with their bosses. You would be surprised what neighbours talk about these days.

But there are always two sides to a story aren’t there?

Thank you

by Sharon. - Individual. Sun Feb 04, 2018 23:04

Hi again, John !

As I said, detailed work-related problems will be discussed between workers who are employed in the same job, but those issues are unlikely to be discussed in such detail between neighbours who do not share the same workplace. And a reading of this thread will confirm that the JI problems highlighted are not just 'my version' of those issues - others, too, have experienced the unfairness involved.

Thanks,
Sharon.

by John G Sat Feb 03, 2018 00:10

Hello Sharon,

Thanks.

I can only go on what my neighbours have told me. I will as them more seeing what you have said here. Not sure why they would have an motive to say different to your version as you seem to be saying.

Advocate.

Sharon no harm to her as far as I can see on this thread has no problem
Naming people that she believes are an issue in this situation or even hinting at locations and other people. Nobody was asking for specifics about her just asked she an employee or an neighbours of these workers to see how she gets her information, something like she questioned me.

I have no involvement in this as I said at the start I was googling information about clondalkin and came across this post and as I have neighbours who are on this I was just saying going by what they have told me there are two sides to any story.

Good luck to you

by Sharon. - Individual. Fri Feb 02, 2018 23:27

Hi again, John!

I was more closely involved with community group workers a few years ago than I am now, but I have great colleagues there still, and I know from the peripheral work I still do in the community that they are not valued by the Nangor Road management, by their trade union or by the DSP. And the problems discussed and mentioned on this thread and on the 'Related Link' thread are not my problems, but they are issues which affect workers that I care about and that's why I will do whatever I can do to help them.

Hi advocate!

Thank you for the good advice - I am always wary of those who try to 'draw me out' regarding personal information about myself because, as you said, I don't know what their motives are. Nor do I know the motives of their 'neighbours'...!
Thanks again.

Sharon.

by advocate Fri Feb 02, 2018 15:56

don't give specific info about yourself or your work to internet strangers Sharon.
You have no idea who they are or what their motives may actually be.

by John G Fri Feb 02, 2018 13:59

Hi Sharon,

I can only tell you what my neighbours have told me when we were all discussing work with n the current climate.

Are you one of the workers involved or are you hearing this from discussions with friends and neighbours?

Either way good luck with your problems.

by Sharon. - Individual. Fri Feb 02, 2018 08:13

Hi John!

Of all the things I talk to my neighbours about, in-depth work-related discussions of that type, and details regarding the nature of mis-management in work, would not be the stuff of neighbourly chit-chat, in my opinion.
This thread and the thread at the 'Related Link' , below, are a good indication that all is not well in relation to this job scheme, despite what your neighbours are not saying!

And thanks for your comment - appreciated, as it helps to keep the thread 'live'.

Sharon.

by John G Thu Feb 01, 2018 17:39

I came across this site while googling information about clondalkin.

I actually know people who are on the this scheme, they are neighbours of mine in Clondalkin.

They do not talk about “nasty management” at all.

There are always two sides to any story.

by John G Thu Feb 01, 2018 17:38

I came across this site while googling information about clondalkin.

I actually know people who are on the this scheme, they are neighbours of mine in Clondalkin.

They do not talk about “nasty management” at all.

There are always two sides to any story.

by Sharon. - Individual. Sun Jan 21, 2018 19:30

Hi again, 'CN'!

And a 'Happy 2018' to you, too, thanks!
But not so, I believe, for the JI workers in Clondalkin ; a few management-implemented transfers from one sponsor organisation to another one and some JI workers left either in their old jobs or their new venues with nothing to do - some of them have been quietly sent home, on pay, with no break in service - courtesy of the taxpayer, because the 'suits' in the Nangor Road 'Ivory Tower' have no where suitable to place them. But once those JI workers remain 'on the books', the bosses continue to keep themselves in jobs, all - as stated - at taxpayers expense.
Soul destroying for the workers involved, some of whom are still trying to defend themselves from a nasty management, an uninterested DSP and an uncaring union.
A bad start to their year.

Thanks!

Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbours - None Fri Jan 19, 2018 19:14

Hi Sharon,

Happy New Year.

I haven’t had much time to keep up with this story as I work nights.

I hope that the problems you lexposed have been sorted out to the satisfaction of the employees you told us about.

Thank you once again for your efforts in publicising these problems.

by Sharon. - Individual. Fri Oct 27, 2017 21:19

Hi (again!) 'CE',

The DSP, who fund JI and CE (with taxpayers money) have a very professional looking 'Rules and Regulations/Operating Procedures' manual which specifically forbids CE management from having any input into the JI programme. I know of three JI employees in Clondalkin who pointed this out to two (named) DSP officials in the 'Employment Programmes Policy Unit' of the DSP in Pearse Street, Dublin, who more or less stated that it was up to the group who receive the funds (SDCP/'Clondalkin Partnership', in this instance) to spend it as they see fit. One of them even suggested that the dispute might be only to do with the manner in which the CE/JI management 'cross-over' was communicated to the JI workers on the ground!

When the JI employees brought this subject to the attention of their reps in Liberty Hall, they were told that it's not up to them to tell the SDCP who can or cannot be placed in a management position over them, regardless of what is written in a 'rules manual'.
The JI workers in Clondalkin are trying to defend themselves on three fronts - SDCP, DSP and SIPTU. I honestly don't know how they have survived until now but I do admire their spirit.

Thanks,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbour - None Thu Oct 26, 2017 13:33

Hi Sharon,

You said the DSP set the rules. What have they to say about this problem?

by Sharon. - Individual. Thu Oct 19, 2017 23:21

Hi!

From bad to worse for these workers, it appears.
At the above-mentioned meeting in County Hall in Tallaght on July 17th last the JI worker reps that were present (in the company of a SIPTU official from Liberty Hall) were cut short by the company CEO when they raised the issue of the conduct of an overzealous, newly-employed assistant supervisor from a different department (CE) who has, shall we say, 'made a name for himself' with JI workers and CE workers. The SIPTU official instructed the JI reps to 'back off', that there was 'a special arrangement' in place to allow the SDCP ('Clondalkin Partnership') CEO (and, by extension, his Clondalkin-based management team) to put whoever they want in charge of the JI programme and to run it whatever way they wanted to, which is a complete breach of the rules issued by the funder of the JI programme, the DSP.
The Tallaght-based CEO said if the JI reps didn't back down, it would cost them their jobs and he would then see to it that all JI jobs would close down - and the SIPTU official agreed with the CEO!

Yet, in May last, at a union meeting in Liberty Hall, a team of Clondalkin JI workers had been told by top-ranking SIPTU officials, in the presence of the same SIPTU official from Liberty Hall who was present in County Hall in July, that any 'cross over' between CE and JI management (as SIPTU called it) was expressly forbidden and the JI team took it that SIPTU was going to bring that 'cross-over' to an end - instead, the SIPTU official (who was present at both meetings) told the JI reps that "SIPTU facilitate" the CE/JI 'cross over' and strongly advised the JI reps not to pursue the issue!
There has been a number of local (Clondalkin) JI meetings held over the last few months and this particular issue is prominent - the feeling is that the JI workers are having to do battle on two fronts : against a completely uncaring management who are in the process of changing JI terms and conditions etc to the detriment of the JI workers and, at the same time, the JI's feel, rightly, in my opinion, that they are also being taken advantage of by SIPTU, who have abandoned them to the whims of the Tallaght-based CEO and his management team.
The JI workers in Clondalkin are still trying to hold their own, but it's an uphill struggle for them. They don't deserve to be treated as they are. Shame on those who are doing that to them, and shame on those who are 'facilitating' it. The 'Related Link', below, is probably more 'related' , in this instance, than we (yet) realise.
Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin neighbour - None Sat Jul 22, 2017 12:13

Thank you Sharon, it's great that a lady like you takes the time to study these issues.

Best of luck

by Sharon. - Individual. Wed Jul 19, 2017 19:11

Hi 'CN' !

You're welcome...

..but, apparently, no such 'welcome' for the workers involved.
Despite a well-spirited local meeting last week (Thursday 13th July) in a Clondalkin venue and a further meeting in County Hall in Tallaght on Monday last (17th) , I'm told that their management are determined not to give an inch, which was expected but, with a disheartened workforce and a trade union which has a deservedly bad reputation with the workers, I would take a guess that their situation will not be improving any time soon and could actually get worse if those in the Nangor Road 'Ivory Tower' have their way.
I hope I'm wrong in that - time will tell.

Thanks again,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbour - None Tue Jul 18, 2017 23:23

Thank for the information Sharon keep up the good work.

by Sharon. - Individual. Sat Jul 08, 2017 20:16

Hi 'CN'!

You're welcome - if it helps to keep readers reminded of the bad situation those workers find themselves in, it's worth the bit of effort involved and, talking of 'effort', I'm told that over the last few days a local meeting has been arranged for late next week for JI and CE workers in Clondalkin in what will be, hopefully, the continuation of a campaign by those men and women to secure whatever working rights they still have, if not improve on them. I know they were badly let down by SIPTU before, which left them dispirited, and I sincerely hope that doesn't happen again to them.
They deserve better.

Thanks,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbour. - None Sat Jul 08, 2017 17:28

Thank you Sharon for clarifying what JI meant and the additional information in your message.

by Sharon. - Individual. Thu Jul 06, 2017 19:27

Hi 'CN'!
The 'JI' ('Jobs Initiative') scheme is a programme which placed unemployed people in not-for-profit community-based organisations where they assist those companies to repair and maintain, for instance, community centres, Obair offices, CIC offices etc, and are paid a wage from the DSP for doing those jobs. 'JI' stopped recruitment thirteen years ago but still has a few thousand employees throughout the State but, as they are not as powerful a group in society as, for argument sake, air-traffic controllers or bus/train drivers etc, they tend to be considered by the DSP and the organisation they are placed with as 'eaten bread, soon forgotten'.

More information here - https://www.standrews.ie/fas/jobsinitiative/
-and at the 'Related Link' , below.

Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbour - None Wed Jul 05, 2017 23:32

Sorry Sharon I just realised I asked earlier , JI staff? Who are they?

I meant what are JI staff?

Thanks

by Clondalkin Neighbour - None Wed Jul 05, 2017 23:05

Thank you Sharon.

I hope everything works out for the workers you have written about.

by Sharon. - Individual. Wed Jul 05, 2017 19:21

..and into the fire!'

Hi again, 'CN'.

You're welcome to (almost!) whatever information I have re these workers - they're the salt of the earth, but they haven't been treated very well over the years and some of them have, unfortunately, become accustomed to being viewed by their management as a 'nuisance'.
The "mercy" you spoke of could backfire on them, if they are placed in a venue where they could experience more of the above and/or have to get, for instance, two buses to get there, and two buses home (at their own expense, from such a small wage, as travel money is reserved for the 'upstairs' staff).

Thanks, 'CN' - nice chatting to you!

Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbour - Non Tue Jul 04, 2017 23:48

Thanks again for your information.

I suppose it's a mercy that the workers still have their jobs and can be moved somewhere else.

Nice to see someone like yourself with the information on important matters.

by Sharon. - Individual. Tue Jul 04, 2017 21:50

Hi again, 'CN' !

The DBD provided employment for three female JI workers, who now find themselves out of a job. They have been told by JI management that they will be placed in other local venues, rather than being let go (the main funder, DSP, will not pay redundancy money to JI workers) - that process is in motion, but nothing concrete secured as of yet for any of the three ladies.
I hope you'll understand why it is that I won't name those ladies on this site, even though I know all three and wouldn't have a bad word to say about any of them. And I hope the issue is resolved quickly for them, as this is not of their making.

Thanks,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin Neighbour - None Tue Jul 04, 2017 19:38

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for the information, a sad day.

JI staff? who are they?

Thanks

by Sharon. - Individual. Tue Jul 04, 2017 16:08

Hi 'Clondalkin neighbour'!

Friday, 30th June 2017 was a very sad day for those of us in the Clondalkin area that have either directly received assistance from the workers in the DBD or have family members, neighbours and friends etc who have been helped and encouraged by them (including Big Martin and Mick [RIP] - they fought hard to get that jobs club established and fought just as hard to keep it in the area).

The keys to the office were handed over on Friday (30th June) at lunch time to a representative from the 'Dolcain Project' (see the 'Related Link', below), the JI staff have not yet been placed elsewhere and DBD office furniture has started to be distributed to other venues in the Clondalkin area.

The lovely staff, and the services they offered so professionally, will be badly missed in this working-class area.

Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

by Clondalkin neighbour - None Mon Jul 03, 2017 18:44

A sad day, that's been a long time coming.

by Sharon. - Individual Tue Jun 13, 2017 21:59

Hi!

JI staff in the DBD Centre ('Dunawley, Bawnogue and Deansrath') in Clondalkin were visited today by a representative of SDC Partnership ('Clondalkin Partnership') and were told that the centre was closing for good at the end of this month - they will be "placed elsewhere", they were told.
Those workers assist in delivering various services to about 600 unemployed people in the area and, if this service does close - and it does appear to be the case that it is closing its doors at the end of this month - a vital link between employers and potential employees will be lost to an area that most definitely needs services of that type.
This is a very short-sighted decision by those who, despite the space they occupy high-up in their ivory tower, rarely venture out of the mental and moral gated community they live in.
Shame on them.

Thanks for reading,
Sharon.

by DBD Pay Martin Walsh Tue Apr 16, 2013 14:38

Martin decided to occupy the DBD Centre last Thursday as the management of the Centre failed to communicate with his union once he had ended his sit in at the Jobs Club Office. The way he has been treated since then is appaling. On Friday morning at 8.30 members of the board smashed down the front door, and upon entering the premises proceeded in being very menacing towards Martin, Martin feared for his safety as one of the board members thretened physical violence. They then proceeded to take out the phone lines and kettle and switched off the power before locking Martin into the premises with all the shutters locked, Martin was left sitting in the dark and cold for a number of hours with no way for his supporters to get in to him with hot food and drinks, we eventually managed to get one of the shutters open after 10 hours. At approx 10pm that night the board members arrived back when Martins supporters had left with a large number of Gardai in tow and also the Fire Brigade(a waste of frontline resources in our opinion) they tried to get Gardai to remove Martin from the centre but upon hearing Martins side of the story the Gardai refused to do this and also told the board to leave the door unlocked as in the event of emergency Martin could exit the building. There is so much more to this story which can be seen on our Facebook Page just search for DBD Pay Martin Walsh

by Sharon. - Individual. Thu Apr 11, 2013 23:07

Hi !

Martin's ordeal came to an end last Friday , 5th April 2013 , when he ended his protest and left the building. I'm still trying to find out the full details and no doubt same will be posted on this thread in due course , by myself or others.
For a 'flavour' of unfinished business re Larry O' Neill -CPLN-SDCP and JI / CE in the Clondalkin area , see the 'Related Link' , below.

Thanks!
Sharon.

by fred Thu Apr 11, 2013 00:21

FAS could be replaced by a large computer server running some half decent up to date online courses and a job matching website where employers could post jobs and employees could look for jobs.

creating this server could be done by a team of computer programmers and web designers gleaned from the dole queues.

Most of the people in administration in FAS are dead weight wasting taxpayers funds.

Abolish FAS and replace it with a decent server.

It has been shown that FAS courses cost more per person than if the people were just put on proper courses like those in the open university.

It's all the deadwood administration, huge pensions, building rental, junkets and bloat.

replace them with proper certified online education and a server.

There is also so much quality free educational material available online these days, it's unreal!
e.g. http://www.coursera.org or MIT: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/

FAS is an anachronism. Outdated and useless.

by SIPTU Member Wed Apr 10, 2013 17:29

JI workers are not the only group that Lawrence of Clondalkin (Arabia) has tried to change their employment contracts on since he rode into Clondalkin on his trusty camel to pursue his great IBEC mission to conquer and subdue the natives. He has tried to change the terms and conditions of other employees here in the LES as well. In fact the SIPTU official has had to be called in on a number of occasions

by Monica Wed Apr 10, 2013 16:01

Chestnut, your analysis of CE is excellent and it is indeed a disgrace to see the community employment schemes take the punishment for the corruption endemic within FAS. JI is also a very popular scheme which is evidenced by the fact that almost no JI worker leaves Ji until they retire. A huge number of workers have been on JI for the last 10 or 15 years now.

The new TUS scheme is a different kettle of fish altogether. TUS is simply exploitation and would have no participants unless Social Welfare didnt force people to go on these unpopular TUS projects. TUS has none of the training or any other values that chestnut outlined so well and should be abolished together with FAS and all these partnerships which also are a complete waste of money.

by Obair Tue Apr 09, 2013 16:24

Larry has a typical IBEC business man attitude to workers, hardly surprising as that was his background before he came to Clondalkin. One thing he did was to try to get the JI workers to change their employment contracts and that is one of the reasons they security people employed on JI don't like him very much at all.

by Condalkin Security Worker Tue Apr 09, 2013 16:16

Apart from the fact that martin is well known and liked by the Security Workers for the last 15 years and Larry is just a recent blow in, most of the Security Guards are Job Initiative scheme workers. Larry has had a lot of run ins with the J.I. workers since he arrived in Clondalkin a few years ago.

by Marsha Mon Apr 08, 2013 17:53

Hi Sharon, you are absolutely correct Martin was a good comrade of Michael O' Mara RIP. They were like the Che Guevarra and Fidel Castro of Bawnogue with their combats and their beards and long hair. They both marched all over europe on the European marches against Unemployment and against the EU. I am sure this would not have gone unnoticed by the "suits" in the Partnership and FAS who fear anyone outside their cozy little consensus

by MaAlpine Fusilier Mon Apr 08, 2013 17:44

I dont think it will be necessary get Joe McNamara to crash his JCB into the enterprise centre as support is building up locally on this issue. I was talking to one of the security guards that Larry threathened to sack for helping Martin and I was assured that if Martins Union puts on an official picket that not even one of the security guards will pass it as they are all union members themselves.

by Clondalkin Citizen Sun Apr 07, 2013 18:51

I am a citizen of Clondalkin and I work in the broad community/ youth sector, I cannot give my name or 'Larry the Snake' who is the 'Deputy Dawg' of the new merged super partnership named the 'South Dublin County Partnership' would arrange with my employers for me to be sacked as well. He is a very ruthless individual. There is a lot of support for martin and people in Clondalkin are saying Free The Bawnogue One. I would like to extend my solidarity to Martin and I will help out behind the scene as will many other Community and youth workers but we cannot go public and be photographed on a picket if we value our jobs.

by North Clondalkin Sun Apr 07, 2013 18:31

Sharon is absolutely correct in saying that the old Clondalkin Partnership and the Tallaght Partnership were 'amalgamated' or 'downsized' into the new 'South Dublin County Partnership' Company and the DBD closure is connected with this new super merger.

I dont live in Bawnogue but the word going around North Clondalkin is that Larry the Vulture has had his beady eye on the DBD Jobs club for a good while now and has been circling overhead waiting for his opportunity to swoop and carry off this ripe plum in his beak and plant it anywhere except Bawnogue which he hates with a vengence.

The word on the ground in that he plans to wait a few weeks and then set it up here in North Clondalkin. The 'South Dublin County Partnership' has been an totally unmitigated disaster from its inception. It has huge power in Tallaght as well as Clondalkin (and a massive combined budget).. This latest incident proves that they dont give a damn for the workers (or whether they receive their redundancy money or rights) in either Clondalkin or Tallaght whose taxes pay for the huge salaries of the political appointees at the top of all these partnerships.

by Chestnut - Observer Sun Apr 07, 2013 15:56

James, it is a disgrace to see the community employment schemes take the punishment for those who used up to £1 bn a year to supposedly create employment in boom time Ireland. The truth is we now need to google up Shane Ross and his expedition and findings of what really happened in FAS and the shameful over-spend on the bureaucratic elitism of the heads who had no real interest in the grassroots organisation related to creating work.

There are a group of people who selfishly assumed positions of authority in companies, government bodies, in quangos, in semi-state and in particular in trade unions who blatantly feathered their nests. The sad point for people who are struggling to survive in these harsh financial times is that these people continue to gain. We rightly need to ask SIPTU to take a stance on those who are being forced out of community employment in Dublin and throughout this country. Community employment was and continues to be vital for people and it created social capital and many benefits to the economy. It was about value to society. Realistically, its strong point is that it has a minor cost quotient but a massive quality to lives of other provision and our Coalition government are so tunnel visioned to the Troika beat that they miss out on what the meaning of social capital and society is all about. Let them think of old Arthur Guinness, the employer of so many and their social capital focus two centuries ago. Community employment is a success story amidst the plunder of the developers and the many white collar criminals and their greed.

A report issued this week from the EU commission: They agreed about the social purpose of these community employment schemes; the problem they had is that they schemes did not necessarily create activation into full-time work?
"They have, at best, an extremely weak activation and back-to-work component, and at worse, triggers 'subsidised employment traps'". The problem they have is that these CE courses cost the same as education courses. However, should the question not be - horses for courses. We have need to have people in full-time work but there is also a critical need to have part-time community work providing people with progression in their own time scale. Trinity Access Programme is now 20 years in existence and no doubt there are many others who created a pathway to full-time employment.

People need to stand up and say No to Cuts in Community Employment, that valuable source of social capital, community responsibility, path to education and long-term employment. It was one of the positive outcomes for social mobility during those heady Tiger days....

Anyway it was the EU who promoted same alongside the Horizon programmes. A visit to EU House, Dawson Street will re-enforce the social capital drive that is part of the European mantra.

by James Sat Apr 06, 2013 19:29

FAS are a totally corrupt organisation who have been carrying out cut after cut for years against poverty stricken and deprived communities with extreme relish and gusto, while continuing to spend huge sums of money on the over paid bureaucrats at the top of their decrepit organisation. It is FAS which should have been abolished many years ago but it has been protected by government after government no matter which party is in it seems toserve their interests. Why has not even one political party called for FAS to be wound up. They would reap a rich harvest of votes as FAS is much hated by all the people they have oppressed on CE schemes the length and breath of this country. I have heard they are even worse in country areas where they are really tied in with the gombeen local county councillors and TD's.

by Donegal Danny Sat Apr 06, 2013 18:58

I used to live in Clondalkin but unfortunately I am now a bit too far away in Donegal to come down and give support or I would put on a picket myself and make sure nobody got in or out of that fancy new Enterprise Centre on the Bawnogue Road untill that worker got his rights.This is a disgraceful state of affairs in todays world to order security guards not to let a worker use the toilets, it is inhumane, who ordered this to be carried out?

I think we need to ask the man who drove his JCB into the gates of Leinster House Joe McNamara to come back to Dublin all the way from Dun na Carraige, Co. Galway and drive his JCB into the enterprise centre in Bawnogue and free this poor worker who is prevented from going outside the door to the shop to buy a packet of crisps or get a cup of tea or even to use the loo.

by Sharon. - Individual. Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:15

Hi!

A good indication of the type of people that Martin is up against (and , indeed, the snake-oil corporate salespeople that the JI and CE workers in the Clondalkin area have been forced to deal with in recent years) can be seen at the 'Related Link' , below : in the one breath they will promise all things to all men -
"But what of the future?
In the short term there will be little evidence of any change in the way our Local Development Programme is delivered.... we will maintain all our outreach offices and staff will be available to continue the work on the ground.....the budget for the new company is not available as we go to print but if severe cuts in funding allocations are received this may result in changes in how we carry out our work....."

I wish Martin all the best and I hope he obtains justice sooner rather than later.

Thanks,
Sharon.

by Sharon. - Indvidual. Fri Apr 05, 2013 22:50

Hi John!

Has SIPTU been contacted re this situation , as I know from the JI/CE problems in the area that they are supposed to be dealing with all issues re the 'amalgamation' ('downsizing') of the (old) Clondalkin Partnership (now a part of the new 'South Dublin County Partnership' Company) and the DBD closure is part and parcel of this new entity ?
I know Martin from his work in the area (and also knew his late colleague , Mick O' Mara , sadly missed) and I am aware that Martin was a SIPTU/DCTU representative on the CPLN Board and, as such, I would hope that SIPTU/DCTU would not seek to abandon one of its own?

Thanks,
Sharon.