Offaly Fastway workers 'will be reported to Gardaí' if vehicles not returned this week

Employees at the Fastway hub in Offaly have been told by receivers that they must return their work vehicles this week, or they will be reported to Gardaí as stolen.

The Portarlington Fastway hub was closed on Tuesday October 28 with immediate effect, leaving dozens of workers in limbo.

It was previously reported that workers were 'escorted off forklifts', 'left with no wages' and unable to sign on to social welfare, at risk of losing their redundancy package. 

 An email seen by the Leinster Express / Laois Live was sent to employees this week on behalf of joint receivers Mark Degnan and Brendan O'Reilly. 

The email detailed that should employees not return work vehicles to receivers by Friday, they will be reported as stolen.

"As part of the receivership process, all company-owned and leased vehicles should be returned to the Joint Receivers," the email read.

"If you are in possession of a company vehicle (ie car, van, truck etc), we ask that you please return the vehicle to your closest depot location. Please note that any vehicle not returned by 2pm on Friday November 7 will be reported to An Gardaí Síochána as stolen.

"Thank you for your cooperation," the email finished.

Offaly Sinn Féin Cllr Claire Murray has paired up with Laois Sinn Fein Senator Maria McCormack to organise a public meeting  for workers this Friday evening. The event will take place on Friday. November 7 at 5pm in Portarlington's Community Centre.

The meeting will bring together representatives from Intreo, the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), the Laois/Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) and MABS to provide advice on payments, redundancy entitlements, retraining options and business supports for those impacted.

This public-multi agency meeting aims to give advice on receiving owed payments from the company, and advice on the next steps former employees should take.