Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. It is clear that this employer has not engaged with either the employees or the Departments. It is very clear from what the Minister said. It is outrageous that workers should be treated like this. Many of them have even left the country. Some do not have bread on the table, cannot pay their rent and are living like homeless people. It is a scandal that it should happen in this day and age.

There is now an onus on the Minister to adopt a far more hands-on approach and to push these employers. It is not the first time we have seen this. It has happened on a good number of occasions. The way the workers have been treated in this case is the worst example we have seen. It is high time the Minister tells these employers that they must live up to this. It is very strange that the company is supposed to be moving to another premises. Those involved have money to go off and set up a new business elsewhere while at the same time the employees are punished. It is scandalous. We need intervention and pressure to be brought to bear on these companies. That we do not have proper workers' rights is very clear from the way these employers have handled the case. We are behind in terms of workers' rights.

We need to strengthen that and put it up to these employers. They cannot be allowed to treat people like this - it does not matter who they are. They should not be allowed to do it.

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