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Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Target Express sale announced by liquidators

Masterlink Logistics, headquarterd in Blanchardstown, is to buy the company which only recently ceased trading.

THE JOINT LIQUIDATORS of the Target Express freight company have announced a deal with Masterlink Logistics for the sale of certain aspects of the company.

It was announced at the start of this week that Target Express was ceasing trading. Staff subsequently launched a sit-in protest over their unpaid wages, saying they had not been forewarned of the closure.

Masterlink says that it intends to re-employ as many of the Target Express workforce as possible, but that it is too soon to determine how many it can employ.

The company said this evening that the number of jobs it can provide “will necessarily be dependent on customer support for the former Target Express business”.

“However, Masterlink Logistics will be seeking to restore as many of the jobs that were lost earlier this week as possible, and in that respect will be in immediate contact with all of the key customers, many of whom have found interim solutions, and will appeal to them to reinstate their business.”

Headquartered in Blanchardstown, Masterlink has been in operation for 21 years and currently employs 350 staff and operates warehouses in Blanchardstown and Parkwest in Dublin, along with facilities in Cork, Down and Galway.

Target Express liquidators Michael McAteer and Stephen Tennant said in a statement that they would like to “particularly thank the Target Express employees for their engagement and cooperation over the last number of days which facilitated us in securing this sale”.

The Department of Social Protection said this evening that it would continue to engage with Target Express workers “to ensure that their needs are met through pro-active and timely access to a range of income maintenance, money advice and employment support services”.

Officials from the department are due to meet workers in Cork on Tuesday to discuss their entitlements.

“Employees should note that it is not necessary to have a P45 at the time of application for jobseeker’s payment, and for award of claim. As the facts of this case are known, it is clear that the employment has ceased. If a person satisfies all of the relevant conditions, jobseeker’s payment will be made,” the department said this evening.

“For those whose income is insufficient to meet their needs, emergency payments may be available under the Department’s Supplementary Welfare Scheme. Information about Supplementary Welfare Allowance and other social welfare payments is available at www.welfare.ie or at Social Welfare Local Offices nationwide.”

Target Express workers end sit-in after meeting liquidator, department >

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8 Comments
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    Mute Random_paddy
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:00 PM

    Can we have the bill broken down to show consultant fees, bonus etc.?

    232
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    Mute Pete Foley
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    Feb 11th 2014, 6:23 PM

    Will yeah all grow a pair and don’t pay

    48
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    Mute Nicky O'Donnell
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:13 PM

    How much we pay will be determined by one factor and one factor only: As much they think they think they can get away with charging us.

    219
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    Mute BPA Free Paper Rolls
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    Feb 11th 2014, 7:25 PM

    I got my business bill today €1.92 water charge and €29.50 rent for meter. I asked the girl in water office about this and her answer was”this is Ireland”

    Don’t let this happen to households.

    53
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    Mute the truth hurts
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    Feb 11th 2014, 8:14 PM

    Labour n FG will find out how much they ll pay in May for the broken promises and europhile policies..

    33
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    Mute Foxys Bicycle
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:04 PM

    I give it 10 years before it’s € 1000 annually
    If we all say NO now this can all be avoided

    179
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    Mute Johnny
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:29 PM

    I think that no vote needs to be sorted before more money is squandered. Once metering is rolled out and the checks are signed it will be harder to turn back. But remember the property tax. There was a chance to stand against that and it failed (even when it wasn’t officially a tax just a preposterous random charge). Water charges, bin collection, essentially household services should be covered by a fair property tax system. There should be no privatisation in essential services

    73
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    Mute Roisin
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:37 PM

    It won’t be avoided. Firstly the government are bullies, secondly we Irish seem afraid to stand up for ourselves. Instead we moan and moan and moan and that’s all we do. Nothing productive will come from moaning. We need to stand up for ourselves and stop the bullies from doing us up the a*se over and over again.

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    Mute Johnny
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:15 PM

    To be honest roisin I think we were let down by the media badly during the household charge debacle. I feel by and large the public was not supported due to some misguided belief that property tax is the best way to tax the rich. In reality it’s just another way to tax a majority of already struggling homeowners. The same would be the case again for this i think and I’m sure with the bad experience of before probably making people more even apathetic. I think we have it in us to make the changes we want but have been under the comfort zone of democracy we forget the bad that can go with this also. And you are right the government are bullies . In fact some of the statements made during the household charge saga would have got our politicians lynched if it had been in most other countries! I’m actually not against water charges even though my comments might suggest otherwise. I am mostly just against the government, and the continuous mismanagement of public funds. If we had a CEO with some balls half the staff at this company would be long gone. Instead we have enda. Yawn…

    44
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    Mute Paul Flynn
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:57 PM

    We were let down by the media because the government controls them and the banks control the government.

    43
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Feb 11th 2014, 9:14 PM

    You are way behind the curve Johnny, in my town waste has been privatised for thirteen years, people use it because its cheaper than the co council,we take our waste and recycles to the centre and pay even less again,unionised overmanned state services unfortunatly just cannot compete on price.

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    Mute Johnny
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    Feb 11th 2014, 9:34 PM

    I’m with you really Richard. Perhaps you missed the end of my first comment. I am saying (probably badly) that essential services should come under the property tax and should be a service that’s paid for through the tax. not free or state funded but paid for through fair taxation along with water etc. what else is the tax for anyway. i think some english lord still owns the land underneath my gaff i should really be paying the tax to him !

    regarding the bins I must say its been a long time since I’ve had the council collecting my bins too. Get the whole lot taken from my door don’t even have to go to recycle centre. 4 bins for all my needs, Great service and relatively cheap IMO. But my bin collectors have competition. If I am unhappy with my water provider however…

    4
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Feb 11th 2014, 10:33 PM

    A one off charge sounds good Johnny, but would people in Ireland be prepared for a charge similar to the UK where my family there pay 1500 stg per year household charge (around €1800) that covers everything from water and waste to policing and local emergency services,seeing the opposition to any charging for services here,i just could’nt see it working though.

    2
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    Mute Dee4
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:04 PM

    so I assume VAT will be dropping by 4% right? otherwise it would just be a double tax/bondholder tax?

    153
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    Mute Reg
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:16 PM

    Are the thousands of people who do pay for their water due a VAT refund also?

    79
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    Mute Dee4
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:18 PM

    not sure but if a direct charge is being introduced that means some central tax should drop otherwise it would just be theft…oh wait

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    Mute Reg
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:22 PM

    I think there will be a change to income tax, will have to wait a year or two.

    32
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    Mute tom
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    Feb 11th 2014, 6:54 PM

    Think all you want but no tax breaks for pixie heads. Double tax then add vat its triple tax

    18
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    Mute Gerry McNally
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:29 PM

    I ain’t paying for something that falls from the sky in abundance. We could export drinking water to the world if we managed it correctly. Rain water harvesting is under utilised in this country. Why not invest in this rather than water metres? You could harvest your own rain water and have it collected for treatment or use yourself for toilet flushing or similar. Why do we always have to take in this country.

    71
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    Mute Silent Majority
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:10 PM

    And if, like last time, people just don’t bother paying what will we do then? The state’s shed is already full of e voting machines; at this rate we’ll have our own circus with all our white elephants.

    71
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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    Feb 11th 2014, 6:09 PM

    Faucets circus.

    66
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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Feb 11th 2014, 6:35 PM

    Those e voting machines were scrapped for a pittance after spending €50m on them .

    20
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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:25 PM

    They are still working out how much they can charge to bring in €2 billion + a year. Give it a few years then flog the company to pay off the interest on bailout loans we shouldn’t be paying back in the first place. For the few years that its Irish Water it serves its purpose of giving jobs for the boys.

    67
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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:44 PM

    Yes on bonus and big pay. Did Tierney get a pension from corpo when he was leaving I wonder

    48
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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:40 PM

    Yep vote FG you dumb ass voters. Water charges and household charge what dummies we have left in this country.

    59
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    Mute Roisin
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:44 PM

    It doesn’t matter who was voted in so there’s no need to be mean! All politicians are the same in this country and yes I’m tarring them all with the same brush.!!

    33
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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:07 PM

    My comment was out of frustration at how we are been treated and how we aee been brainwashed by continous FG spin.

    Very frustrating also to see support on the up for FG.

    This country has no appetite for change

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    Mute Richarddoherty
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:11 PM

    Yes most in this country are the same and not competent enough to do the jobs but worst of all they lie to be elected and never deliver on promises made

    23
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    Mute Roisin
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:15 PM

    Couldn’t agree more with your comment that this country has no appetite for change. It actually sums up all my frustrations with the last couple of years and the people who have been voted into power. I just have to wonder who would be different?? Who would help instead of cripple??

    12
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    Mute Drew Clarke
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:31 PM

    We’ll be destined for a political status quo for many years in Ireland. At one point I was moving toward SF, in fact I voted for McGuinness in the presidential election, but in the aftermath and handling of various controversies by SF leadership over the last few years I’ve moved away again.

    6
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    Mute Johnny
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:39 PM

    Declan. It’s nice to think that voting makes changes but in reality it doesn’t change things like this once they are set on motion. It that bloody democracy comfort zone thing again…

    8
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:06 PM

    Of course apparently if you do not use enough water you will be charged more. Excellent logic there Irish water….

    43
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    Mute Martin Smith
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:10 PM

    and this after enda informs the country last sunday on the radio we would know before the local and european elections………………

    35
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    Mute Briain O'Dochartaigh
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:15 PM

    I already pay water charges and have done for 5 years

    33
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    Mute John Do
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:16 PM

    Won’t be paying this tax, it’s illegal along with their other taxes which they try to enforce through their fictions of law…if we all don’t pay, what are they going to do??? Mass civil disobedience is our only way to fight back peacefully,

    31
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    Mute Vera Dawber Power
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    Mar 4th 2014, 9:56 AM

    John Do I agree with you. Take myself, I live in UK..but have a small house in Ireland which I inherited from Mother RIP. I only use it a few times a year..how do I fare out ? Anybody know. ?

    1
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    Mute Setrakian
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:37 PM

    Initially FG lied & stated that a water charge was being introduced to somehow focus the population on the merits of water preservation – don’t waste it and if you do it will cost you. Then it was – the money is needed to upgrade our infrastructure to save water from leaky pipes etc. Irish water will in time be sold to a private interest group ( practically is already) and they will literally turn the screw for your money or turn the tap off. FG are a disgrace as are we for not fighting back.

    31
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    Mute Nigel O Keeffe
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:58 PM

    Want to get the local elections out of the way…timed nicely to give people a full 3 months to forget about the local elections
    Thought bell enda said the pricing structure would be known before the may elections…more lies!
    Not even a transfer.

    31
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    Mute Ciaran Morgan
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:13 PM

    Bell enda, classic!

    21
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    Mute Reg
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:16 PM

    I think he said a few months. The energy regulator is the one deciding on pricing, not the government.

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    Mute Drew Clarke
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:32 PM

    And the energy regulator has signed off on massive increases year in year out across the board. Worrying times.

    19
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    Mute Richarddoherty
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    Feb 11th 2014, 5:07 PM

    Being forsed to pay for everything now its become like the states soon they make you have to pay to get any medical care at all gready money grabbing wasters

    13
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    Mute Jason Campbell
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    Feb 11th 2014, 8:08 PM

    Not going to pay until fluoride is removed from the water supply. Why should we pay for a resource that is toxic and illegal? Why the Irish government insist on adding this poison unnecessarily, against the rules and laws of the EU baffles me. We are on our own in Europe adding fluoride into the water. Check this video out. ( I am not a tree hugger, but am a parent and this worries me greatly since I started reading up on it) http://youtu.be/7aTfyo0Xz_c

    9
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    Mute Journal Man
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:19 PM

    #water

    8
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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:01 PM

    Wait for it……..

    6
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    Mute Julian King
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    Feb 11th 2014, 4:07 PM

    TL:DR
    We only have to pay water charges for the month of August!!!!

    4
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    Mute Jake Rossiter
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    Feb 12th 2014, 12:07 AM

    I sincerely hope all current and ex government ministers who have done bad over the years choke on their pints in the Dail chamber! You have more money in this country of you don’t work!!

    3
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    Mute Daire
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    Feb 20th 2014, 5:11 PM

    How can they expect us to pay for contaminated water…get your water tested by an independant water quality testing company and avoid the water bills…

    1
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