Workers and families left devastated by closure of Rehab Enterprises facility in Navan

HEARTBROKEN Organisation announced plans to close operations in Navan making eleven employees redundant

The brother of a Trim woman with intellectual disabilities says his sister is “devastated”at being made redundant from her role in Rehab Enterprises in Navan after the decision was made to close the facility.

Cecilia Ryan faces losing her “lifeline” job after the organisation announced its plans to close its operations in Mullaghboy Industrial Estate making eleven employees redundant.

Last month employees were notified that their jobs were hanging in the balance as Rehab entered into a 30-day consultation period to try and save the factory that produces PPE garments for the pharmaceutical, food, mining and transportation industries.

However, workers received the news last Friday that they would be made redundant and their last day of employment will be August 18th.

Cecilia’s brother Vinny Ryan says his sister is “heartbroken.”

“Cecilia is devastated, she was hanging on to the hope that it was going to be saved, that there was going to be some kind of miracle but it didn't happen, I'm afraid.

“It feels like the workers are just being tossed aside. Cecilia gave 27 years to the job, she lives for the place.

“It's part of her life, she'll be very upset when it disappears, it gives her a purpose and reason to get up every morning.

“We don't see her getting another job after this, we were thinking of getting her on a couple of training courses just to keep her occupied. She's 57 and has been there 27 years.”

Rehab Enterprises is the social enterprises arm of the Rehab Group. It is Ireland’s largest single non-government employer of people with disabilities, employing over 150 with disabilities across the country. In Navan 10 of the 14 staff are people with disabilities who have been producing these items for a number of years.

In the letter confirming plans to make workers redundant Rehab said: “We have been consulting on the proposed redundancy situation which has arisen for the company as a result of the financial viability of the Rehab Enterprise.

“Following the consultation process, it is with regret that the Company is now writing to you to confirm that your position of General Operative is redundant.”

It goes on to say that Rehab will support employees in workpath, EAP, pension information' CV/lnterview and job search support.

Vinny says his family are angry and disappointed that more effort wasn't made to save the eleven jobs. He also points out that neither workers or their families were aware that the Navan operation was in trouble until they received a letter last month.

“Only a few short years ago, Rehab shared hashtags of #WeAreAllInThisTogether and #EssentialWork when the team was making PPE during the pandemic,” said the worried brother.

“It seems a bit meaningless now. I've spent much of the evening trying to calm a very wound up sister who after 27 years of a happy routine is seeing her life thrown into turmoil”

Meath West TD Johnny Guirke said:

“I met with the workers this morning and they are very disappointed but what they are concerned about now is that they get a fair redundancy package.

“I met with the HR manager recently who told me they were losing €200,000 but €200,000 wouldn't go far when you are going to put eleven people on the live register and people that will find it very hard to get employment anywhere else.

“I along with Darren O’Rourke brought this up in the Dail recently and I asked the Government to step in because in a case like this it shouldn't always be about the money it should be what's right for people with disabilities.

“These people did a lot of good work during the pandemic when they were making PPE equipment and they were happy to work all the hours that god sent when they were needed and they did it with a smile of their faces. It is disappointing that when they need a little help themselves there is nobody to give it to them.”

Meanwhile Aontú Leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has called on management at Rehab Enterprises to revisit their decision to make 11 workers redundant in Navan.

“This is another blow for Navan coming hot on the heels of Tara Mines closing. These jobs at Rehab in Navan are important jobs. It is a busy factory with many orders. But is also important in the personal development of the employees. Some of these workers have been working at the factory for 35 years. I understand that Rehab is having difficulties nationally and is seeking to restructure to save jobs at other sites but its hard to take that such a busy factory is being closed”.

“Like all business Rehab has been dealing with higher input costs but workers have been doing their best to make the location viable. I would call on the Government to step in at this stage and see what supports that can be given to this key business that not only has a economic impact but a key social impact also”.

In a statement Rehab Enterprises said that it was a private company “operating in a commercial environment under significant financial pressure which has been loss-making for several years.

“Rehab's immediate priority is to support the affected individuals to secure alternative pathways or training avenues over the coming months. Rehab's full and ongoing support has been extended to each employee affected by this announcement.”

Rehab said that they made “every effort to maintain and grow the business in recent years. However that this has become “increasingly challenging” due to several factors, including difficulties in replacing key contracts or sourcing substantial new ones.

“In addition, over the last few years, many of our historically valued customers have outsourced their orders to other companies and jurisdictions,” a spokesperson said, adding:

“We regret the impact that this closure will have on our staff, but our focus is now on ensuring the best possible outcome for each the individuals affected and in ensuring that the remaining jobs across our remaining Rehab Enterprises sites are protected.”