TDs voice concerns over redundancies at Carlow College
Carlow College
CARLOW’s elected representatives in Leinster House have been weighing in on the recent news that Carlow College is set to wind down its operations over the coming two years.
Speaking in the Dáil during leaders’ questions last week, Carlow Fine Gael TD Catherine Callaghan called for the 87 staff members who are set to be made redundant to be supported with a fair and enhanced redundancy package.
“Staff need clarity, and they need it now. One staff member said to me that this is not just a job; it is their life’s work,” deputy Callaghan said.
“I would like it placed on the record of the Dáil that it is my strong view that statutory redundancy alone is not enough in the case of Carlow College. These staff members are dedicated, skilled people who deserve more than the minimum,” she added.
Thanking the staff for their service and dedication to third-level education in Ireland, deputy Callaghan said they deserved a “fair and enhanced” package that “reflects their contribution” while supporting them though the transition, and she asked if the minister could support those who are losing their jobs.
In response, minister for foreign affairs Helen McEntee, standing in for the taoiseach, said the government needed to make sure it supports highly skilled and educated people and professionals who have been “imparting their knowledge to students for years” and said deputy Callaghan’s concerns would be raised with the minister for further and higher education James Lawless.
Sinn Féin TD for Carlow/Kilkenny Natasha Newsome Drennan called for government intervention following the announcement and warned that closure would be a “massive blow for Carlow”.
Questioning the lack of clarity for staff and students following the announcement, deputy Newsome Drennan said: “The immense uncertainty hanging over staff and students right now cannot be overstated. I have heard from staff who do not know whether to stay in the hope of redeployment or to start looking elsewhere. Students are worried about whether their courses can be completed if staff begin to leave. They deserve clarity, not vague assurances.”
Meanwhile, Carlow’s representative in the Seanad, Patricia Stephenson of the Social Democrats, also expressed deep concern following the announcement and said that the loss would be “felt deeply across Carlow town and far beyond”.
“The news that Carlow College will effectively close its doors marks the end of an era for Carlow. This institution has shaped generations of students, thinkers, educators and community leaders for more than two centuries,” senator Stephenson said.
Senator Stephenson also said the announcement comes as a “bit of a slap in face” for the college, which just two weeks ago hosted the Fianna Fáil centenary celebrations.
She added: “What was initially understood by many to be a merger now appears to be something very different. There are serious questions that need to be answered about the long-term future of the campus and what educational and community purpose the site will serve once transferred to SETU.”
Speaking to for last week’s edition, minister of state Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said that her “department were working with SETU and Carlow College” and that while she couldn’t reveal what’s in store for the campus, she did confirm that “big changes are coming.”
She added that the closure of Carlow College was what was agreed by all interested parties and that she hoped that “SETU would look favourably at the staff of Carlow College” in terms of future employment.
