Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My last question is for Ms Cusack and Mr. Bakhurst. I am mindful that there are members of staff of RTÉ watching on because I have met with some of them. They were just a sample of the 700 staff alluded to earlier. As it happened, 60% of the sample I met were women. They were deeply distraught. It was quite difficult to listen to them, but I did listen. If I had longer on the day, I would have taken more time with them. Women who have been working in the organisation for decades - women who were on these bogus contracts - were forced, in the language they would use, to be self-employed rather than be employees. The saddest piece of all is the women who are sitting at home today with no pension and the women in the organisation today who are coming close to retirement age who will have no pension. I appreciate that, as was said to me, Mr. Bakhurst had town hall meetings to address these issues. Those who are listening in today and every other day are hearing about executive packages. In my colleagues' view, some of them should have been sacked rather than going off with golden handshakes as they have done. I understand there are legal reasons around it and all the rest but that is the reality. Will you speak to that a little bit?