Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On insolvency and the question of access to assets, we all remember what happened when Thomas Cook pulled out of Ireland and the concern for workers that arose from that. Can the Minister provide clarity around the arrangements in place to ensure that workers based in Ireland have access to assets?

I recognise that all legislation is subject to review, and suggest that it would provide assurance, given the speed with which an omnibus Bill may have to pass through the Houses, if there was a scheduled review built into the Bill, particularly because there may be a number of areas in which the right to make regulations may be given to the Minister. We do not want a situation where regulations are made on the basis of the omnibus Bill and we do not have a sense of when they will be reviewed or when the nuanced work we would ideally like to do will be carried out.

My last point is related to the legislation, and concerns exceptional needs payments. They are likely to be separate payments, but a number of persons will become vulnerable post-Brexit. Are there plans in place within the Department to look at allocating more resources to exceptional needs payments, or for a potential review of the issues that might arise in that area?