45 HOTEL WORKERS who have staged a sit-in at a hotel in Co Meath for 51 days are to end their protest today.

The workers of the Old Darnley Lodge Hotel in Athboy will end their protest at 11:30am this morning, after securing their redundancy payments from hotel management.

The hotel’s 15 full-time and 30 part-time staff had been given only an hour’s notice of its closure on January 16.

Their SIPTU-organised sit-in will end at 11:30am this morning, when redundancy payments are due to be processed.

Workers have been given a commitment that other monies owed to them will be paid in the coming days through the State’s insolvency funds.

“While the workers protest has been a success in terms of securing its aim, of the full payment of the monies owed to them, it is unacceptable that in order to vindicate our rights such action was necessary,” said SIPTU shop steward Eileen Quinn.

“This victory would not have been possible without the tremendous support of the local community and the workers wish to express their sincere gratitude.”

SIPTU organiser Martin Mannion said the sit-in had been the key factor in the decision to expedite the payment of redundancy entitlements and other outstanding payments.

The end of the seven week sit-in clears the way for the hotel’s receivers to try and put the business on the market.

Local TD Peadar Toibín, of Sinn Féin, described the sit-in as “inspirational”.

“Seven weeks is too long to wait for what is rightfully theirs but their wait would likely have been longer if they did not sit in,” the Meath West TD said.

“The Old Darnley Lodge has in many ways the beating commercial heart of Athboy, and its reopening is of the utmost priority.”