43 made redundant as Sunday Tribune ceases publication

The Sunday Tribune in Ireland has formally ceased publication, with 43 staff losing their jobs.

Journalists were told this afternoon that their jobs had been made redundant, and the National Union of Journalists is concerned that they could face a long wait for their statutory payment.

Parent company Tribune Newspapers plc went into administration earlier this month after Independent News and Media, which owns a 29.9 per cent stake, said it would withdraw its funding because the paper was "no longer viable".

The paper and its website suspended publication while a new investor was sought. It is understood that a small number of interested groups came forward but no definite offers were made. The receiver, Jim Luby, could not be immediately reached for comment.

NUJ Irish secretary Seamus Dooley said the news was "devastating". He told Journalism.co.uk: "To lose a major national quality title in the middle of a general election is particularly poignant."

The union is concerned that redundancy payments could take anything up to eight months to arrive, as they are paid out from a central state insolvency fund.

"We are very concerned of the hardship people will be facing," Dooley said.

"The NUJ will be looking at all options. We do have a limited hardship fund. We are looking at the letters which have been issued to make sure people get their statutory entitlement and there's a lot of work to be done in relation to that."

The NUJ's Irish Executive Council has established a special fund for members and friends who want to support Sunday Tribune staff. More details on how to make a donation can be found on the union website.

The Sunday Tribune's last recorded circulation - for the first half of 2010 - was 54,400, down 17 per cent in two years. New figures for the second half of the year will be published tomorrow.

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