Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending. This is an important committee meeting. As somebody from Waterford, I have great sympathy for the position that Debenhams workers found themselves on. Deputy Bruton asked earlier whether assets were put beyond reach. I do not know whether they were but what was done to Debenhams workers was unacceptable. We cannot have a repeat of that in the State. That said, I have concerns in respect of IBEC's concerns, which Ms McElwee raised. I wish to ask her about one situation. Where a company is going into an examinership process and if it has a recognised collective agreement on a statutory footing, what is IBEC's position? How might it affect an examinership process or the ability of a company to continue trading if it has preferential debt?