A PROMINENT convenience store in one of Dublin’s most multicultural areas is the latest recession victim.
Last Friday night, the Spar shop on Parnell Street’s eastern end shut its doors for the last time, resulting in redundancies for 15 staff from several countries, including Ireland, Pak-istan, China and Nigeria.
Supervisor Ali Ausaf from Karachi in Pakistan was among them. “I don’t really have a plan for what to do,” he told Metro Éireann. “It will be very difficult in this recession, as first of all too many people are looking for jobs.”
Ausaf, who has residency in Ireland and a strong retail background, said returning to his native land was not an option, as its situation is “worse”.
The father-of-one has been in Ireland for eight years, and worked at the Parnell Street store for five. “I will miss the routine,” he commented, “waking up at 5am, leaving at 5.30, opening the shop at six Monday to Friday and sometimes Saturday too.”
Ausaf said he was also sad to part company with the staff and regular customers – along with the wide assortment of people who came into the city centre shop each day.
Colleague Ahmed Mohiud-din, also from Karachi, sent out some 300 CVs in less than a fortnight when he heard his workplace would be shut. But so far, no joy.
“I don’t need a work permit, but the situation worries me, it doesn’t look good,” said Mohiuddin, in Ireland for eight years.
Now in his first year of studying for a degree in media arts at DIT, he said the exorbitant costs for non-EU students had substantially eaten into his savings. His family in Pakistan are aware of Ireland’s predicament, he said, with news reports on Europe’s economic capitulation featuring prominently on the television news.
Nigerian Ukachukwu Okor-ie – who writes an insightful weekly column in this newspaper – was another to lose his job due to the Spar shop’s closure, which was announced less than a fortnight in advance.
“What now? I’m jobless,” remarked Okorie, who’s in Ireland on a work permit. But he remained upbeat: “Person-ally for me it’s not a shock as I’m up to any challenge in life, and I know there is a recession.”
He’ll miss his work colleagues, the customers – and the unique educational experience of working in the city centre.
“Working here is like working on the streets of Dublin, so I know Dublin in and out, especially this part ” he said.
If you are a work permit holder and lose your job through redundancy, you have the right to remain and seek new employment for as long as your original work permit remains valid.
When you find alternative employment, you must apply for a new work permit. Under special conditions, there are no ineligible occupations, and your prospective employer does not have to advertise the vacancy with FÁS.
