Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Not every redundancy situation is the same. Not every worker facing redundancy is in the same situation as others who are facing redundancy. It is not that this would create a different class of person to be made redundant. Many workers in the State are not unionised and do not have an enhanced redundancy arrangement. Effectively, there are differences between workers. It is worth workers' while joining a union because a union can negotiate in respect of redundancies. We are trying to legislate for enhanced redundancy. Effectively, that would create a difference between the two.

Ms McElwee indicated that IBEC respectfully submits - thanks for that - that this is "a disproportionate and misguided response to the Debenhams situation". What would be a proportionate response? I am assuming that she, like the rest of us, accepts that what happened to the Debenhams workers was disgraceful and unfair, and should not be facilitated in law. What would a proportionate response look like?