McDonald’s in NI ‘unaffected’ by shake-up
MCDONALD’S says its Northern Ireland business will not be “affected directly” by changes to the company’s operations in the Republic.
A number of roles at McDonald’s Ireland corporate headquarters have been cut as part of a global cost reduction.
It was reported at the weekend that the fast food giant is scaling back its head office operations in Ireland, with the business set to be managed from the UK. The managing director of the Irish business, Adrian Crean, is to leave the operation this month and sources said he would not be replaced.
Other staff at the fast food giant’s head office in Clonskeagh, Dublin, were notified of the risk of redundancy of their roles in March this year at a group head office meeting, according to a source.
Through a series of redundancy consultation emails and meetings following the initial announcement, a number of employees were informed that their existing positions were “being removed from the structure”.
In an email sent on June 9, staff were told that McDonald’s Ireland managing director Mr Crean would be stepping down from the role on July 31 after a period of “gardening leave”.
The source said the original team in head office of around 40 — “most of whom had worked with McDonald’s for 15 to 30 years” — is being reduced to just six people.
A spokeswoman for McDonald’s in Northern Ireland said: “We can confirm that we are undertaking a process of restructuring in the Republic of Ireland.
“For over a decade, the Irish business has been part of the UK and Ireland business unit and these changes reflect that.
“Our Northern Ireland operation is not affected directly.”
McDonald’s has operated in Northern Ireland for 24 years.
There are now around 25 McDonald’s restaurants across the province.
The senior employees were told that the changes to the Irish structure were originally put in motion in 2015 by chief executive Steve Easterbrook, who had just taken over from outgoing chief Don Thompson.
McDonald’s opened its first store in the Republic in Grafton Street in May 1977 and currently operates 92.
McDonald’s Ireland said it is committed to its customers, franchisees and the 5,000 people who work in the restaurants across the Republic.