Labour European Election candidate Senator Lorraine Higgins has today called for all avenues to be explored when dealing with the Elvery Sports examinership.
Elverys, Ireland’s oldest sports retailer, has been in existence since 1847 and is a fully owned Irish company with 50 stores across the country employing over 700 staff.
Speaking today Senator Higgins said: “It is imperative that the appointed Examiner of Elverys Sports takes a common sense approach with regard to the future sale of the company and do what is best for its long-term survival and not just make a fast buck from a quick sale.
“I am very supportive of the current management team being earnestly considered as potential buyers of the company. This management team have bought into the philosophy of the company and have indicated their commitment to maintaining jobs. Elverys is a home-grown success story and is an indigenous Irish company employing people in provincial towns right across the country and we should be working to ensure its viability as an independent retailer rather than facilitating the sale of the business to a private equity company who will simply asset-strip the company and sell it on again in the near future in pursuit of profit.
“I think it is time for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton to engage with all parties involved in the process in order to protect the business and jobs at all costs and I have written to him requesting that he do this as a matter of urgency.”
