Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will speak briefly on this because I have raised something similar. In an unfair dismissal case, the employer must be made to pay the State and then pay the person who has been unfairly dismissed, but surely the person who was unfairly dismissed and left in limbo for a period of time should not bear the brunt of any unintended consequences. I support the amendment, but if the Minister is stating he cannot do it this way something should be included whereby if an employer is deemed to have unfairly dismissed somebody he or she must pay back the State the social welfare payments and then pay the individual the award due.