Carphone Warehouse to close in Ireland with almost 500 jobs lost

Carphone Warehouse

Adrian Weckler and Anne-Marie Walsh

April 21 2021 11:10 AM

Carphone Warehouse is to close its business in Ireland, with 486 people set to lose their jobs.

The company has 69 standalone stores and 12 stores-within-a-store in Ireland. All will close today.

Dixons Carphone, the parent company, has called the move “difficult but necessary”.

It follows the business’s decision to close all standalone Carphone Warehouse stores in the UK in 2020.

“Over the last year Carphone Warehouse Ireland has seen a decrease in footfall year to date in excess of 40pc and a 25pc increase in customers buying sim free handsets,” the company said in a statement.

“Customers are changing the way they buy mobile devices and connectivity, replacing their handsets less often and buying them separately or as part of more flexible bundles.”

The company says that it will “fully support” all staff involved.

“Dixons Carphone will go well beyond its obligations in financial and other support for all affected colleagues,” the company said.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar sympathised with the workers who had lost their jobs.

He said in a statement: “This news will come as a major blow to Carphone Warehouse employees and their families after what has been an incredibly difficult year. My thoughts are with them receiving this news today and I want them to know that the Government will make all necessary State assistance available to the workers.

"The Minister for Social Protection is aware of the situation and we will work across Government, to help them find new employment, education and training opportunities as soon as possible.

“I know many high street retailers have been under pressure for some time now, as consumers move online - a shift which has been accelerated by the pandemic and I understand that this has contributed to the Carphone Warehouse’s decision today.

"Government is working in a coordinated way, through the Retail Forum, and has committed unprecedented levels of financial aid to support retail businesses through these exceptionally difficult times and will continue to do so.”

Trade union Mandate called on Mr Varadkar to urgently set up a retail task force following the job loss announcement.

General secretary Gerry Light said the Government “needs to understand that while they’re procrastinating hundreds of jobs are being lost”.

“Today there are hundreds of Carphone Warehouse workers wondering how they’re going to pay their bills,” he said.

“Those workers join the long list of workers who have lost their jobs in the last year including Debenhams and Arcadia workers, and yet we have seen very little action in terms of legislation from Government.”

He called for recommendations made in a government-commissioned Duffy/Cahill report on the protection of employees when businesses close down, to be implemented.

Former Labour Court chairman Kevin Duffy and senior counsel Nessa Cahill were appointed following the closure of department store Clerys to review employment rights and company law when companies separated assets.

“Only this week we wrote to Minister Troy and Minister English in relation to the legislation that is desperately needed to protect workers in these situations,” said Mr Lightbody.

“We need the two ministers to put forward their proposals and build on the recommendations contained in Duffy/Cahill before we see more job losses.”