“The company pressed ahead with the cuts despite personal pleas..”

According to an iol report the Dell move out of Limerick to Lodz in Poland – noted earlier by Mick – included a €50million €52.7million aid package from the Polish Government. The European Commission will now decide whether that sweetner breaches EU state aid rules. From the iol report

Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said there were doubts whether the lucrative deal passed strict rules on state aid. “We need to investigate all the effects of this aid to verify that it contributes to regional development and to ensure that it will not reinforce Dell’s position or create significant capacity in a market on the decline in the EEA,” Mr Kroes said. Concerned parties, including the Government, will be able to offer their views on the €50m package. The EC said it would rule on the aid package by July.

Also from the iol report

EC officials will assess whether the aid is an incentive for investment and if the benefits outweigh the effect is has on competition.

Dell’s move east sees Ireland suffer one of its single biggest job losses in decades with 1,900 workers facing redundancy by next January.

The company pressed ahead with the cuts despite personal pleas to the firm’s founder Michael Dell by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Defence Minister and Limerick TD Willie O’Dea during a trade mission in Texas last year.

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