This article is from page 25 of the 2014-05-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 25 JPG
TRUMP International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland are to lay off staff during the winter months, but this, according to the resort’s manager Joe Russell, has been the practice for the last number of years.
“In fact we will have more people employed on the course this year that we have since we opened in 2002,” he said.
Last week Donald Trump visited his Doonbeg resort where he selected the site for the new banqueting and event centre and asked Mr Russell to proceed with plans for the review.
“Mr Trump’s visit went well. We spent a lot of time on the golf course and around the facility.
“He was very impressed with the facility, its location and the service and hospitality he received.
“Besides the radio and TV interviews he had, he spent a long time in our public areas meeting and taking photographs with people throughout the day,” said the Doonbeg boss.
During these press interviews Mr Trump promised hundreds more “good jobs”.
However after his departure during the week news broke that staff would be let go during the winter months.
“As discussed with all our employees last Wednesday and has occurred in the past number of years, we are scaling back our operations in the winter to weekends only in November and December, and in January and February we will close hotel operations only.
“The Christmas market and Christmas period will be open because they are well attended and when people use their vacation time to visit our facility,” explained Mr Russell.
“This is not something new for us or hotels on the west coast of Ireland given the level of business at this time of the year.
“Check out what my five star star competitors are doing in Kerry,” he said. “As you will have heard, we are doing a lot of work on our golf course due to the winter storm damage and we will continue our work for the season ahead and into the winter. His objective is to make our course the best golf course in Ireland.”