Three-day winter week planned for Doonbeg?

Our sources in Doonbeg tells us that the Trump organisation has started taking tough decisions with one of the first announcements the likely introduction of a three-day week for staff over the winter months.

Donald Trump made a flying visit to the Co Clare links on May 12, promising to double or triple his initial €15 million investment. From what we've learned, one of the first decisions involved putting staff on a three-day week this winter.

Trump swooped in for the property earlier this year, picking it up for a bargain basement price.

According to reports, the Doonbeg Investment Holding Company posted a loss of €6.4m in 2011 on revenues of €10.4m. Accumulated losses topped €54m by the end of that year.

Apart from revamping the course with Martin Hawtree, Trump's job creation plan centres around his plans to build a swish new ballroom.

Asked by RTE's Sean O'Rourke whether he could foresee the resort’s current high-season workforce of around 250 people being doubled, once the project is completed, Trump said:

“I could… One of the reasons I’m here is to site the ballroom. There will be more jobs than there ever have been before — but more importantly, the people who have the jobs will keep them."