Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In all these areas legal advice can be sought by anyone. We looked at this in probably August or September. Naturally, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, and I have said at every occasion that anywhere we could help in the Debenhams case we would, within the law. That is what we have checked. Again, however, we have to be very clear here as to what this fund would be and who would pay into it. The committee might have a view as to how the fund could be assembled and who would pay into it, and I would be very happy to take that on board. Just yesterday we sent out again to the group with which we have an engagement a list of questions we want teased out. One of the questions is whether the fund is appropriate and whether people agree to it. Again, we are looking for suggestions as to how one would pay into it. It would assemble quite a lot of money in an ongoing context of employment and companies.