Expressions of interest in the voluntary redundancy scheme in telecoms company eir was oversubscribed when the application process closed last month.

Company management is now in the process of determining which applicants will be released, and who will be refused.

The scheme – dubbed ‘project sapphire’ by management – will see a further 750 jobs go on top of earlier cuts. It also heralds the closure of the company’s premises at Heuston South Quarter.

Fórsa represents IT staff, some management grades and clerical officers at the company.

Meanwhile, Fórsa assistant general secretary Eugene Quinn said the eir joint conciliation council was due to meet soon to consider the unions’ pay claim. The current pay agreement runs out at the end of this month.

In separate news, a conciliation hearing took place at the Workplace Relations Commission yesterday (5th June) to discuss proposed changes to the working practices of sales staff in Premier Lotteries Ireland, which runs the national lottery.