A Londonderry-based security company which is helping to run a new Covid-19 test centre in Fermanagh is seeking ex-services personnel to manage its Enniskillen operation.

A new regional test centre was announced by Health Minister Robin Swann on Tuesday and was expected to open yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon at a car park next to St. Angelo Airport.

Some of the recruitment drive by SSG-Net entitled “Helping Fight Covid-19” has been targeting specific Facebook groups which appeared to be aimed at ex-services personnel in Northern Ireland.

The company is seeking staff at test centres in Londonderry, Craigavon and Enniskillen to fill certain roles, including administration, reception, test, traffic management and security.

An advertisement, seen by The Impartial Reporter, was posted on the Regimental Association Facebook page, which is for members only, stating that the company is “looking to the veteran community to apply” and detailed the way in which the vetting process works “to progress you through the required vetting and into deployment”.

According to the post members of this particular Facebook group have been assured of the following: “The managing director has signed off that any individuals completing the application from the group will be given top priority in the vetting process to ensure we move you through swiftly”.

Another Facebook post, seen by this newspaper, and aimed at ex-services personnel invites veterans to apply for the positions, stating that the company is being run by “one of our own”. 

However, the man charged with recruiting people for the Covid-19 test centre specifically in Enniskillen, not attached to SSG-Net, has moved to distance himself and his company from the Facebook post that sought to attract ex-services personnel to manage the operation. 

“I would distance myself from the sentiments expressed in the Facebook post; it is not how my company recruits people and we have not used any people from that advertisement. I have personally recruited all the people for the Enniskillen test centre and it is a mix of people from all sides of the community," he said.

Elsewhere, one former services personnel from Fermanagh, who was invited to apply for one of the positions by SSG-Net, has told this newspaper that he is “concerned about security implications” if he or others did apply.

“The advertisement states that it is looking for veterans; I have seen it myself on the Facebook page of the Royal Irish Association. I was specifically targeted for this position.

“If I took this position, I would envisage my person security being compromised. After all, there is still a dissident republican threat in the greater Fermanagh area,” he said.

The source, who did not wish to be named, said he considered the advertisement to be “discriminatory” against those of a different background.

“Some people will be offended by this type of advertisement,” he said.

When SSG-Net was contacted by this newspaper it was advised to take its query to Serco, a London-based company described on its website as “a leading provider in public services”.

The company was asked why this particular recruitment drive is specifically targeting “veterans” and ex-services personnel in Northern Ireland and if it recognised the sensitivities by posting recruitment advertisements like this, particularly when using language such as “one of our own”.

The company was also asked why other people, such as those who did not serve in the British forces and those from a Catholic faith, appeared to be excluded in this recruitment drive on Facebook.

And given that most people do not have access to this specific Facebook page [The Regimental Irish Association] the company was asked to explain why it appeared to be excluding very many people from seeing this advertisement and/or applying for these position.

The company was also asked if it was responsible for it to highlight the background of its employees in this way and if it thought this advertisement could be considered discriminatory and divisive by some people in Fermanagh.

In a statement, a spokesman for Serco said yesterday: “Serco is working with number of organisations in Northern Ireland to recruit people to help us run the drive-through testing centres. Nobody is excluded and we have people from all areas of the community and a wide range of backgrounds who are working with us.”