Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein)
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I take up that last point because the Minister of State's colleague, Ms Coogan, did use the phrase - and I want to be careful to ensure I get it right - "I will not say generous because that is not appropriate but we make quite extensive payments in certain circumstances". Now I must tell the Minister of State, having spoken to Debenhams workers in Limerick, who have in some cases given 30 or 40 years of service, they do not view it as an extensive payment. Their view is that they have been let down by the State, specifically because four years ago, the Minister of State's Government commissioned a report and as he has acknowledged himself, it refused to implement those proposals. I put it to him that there is a very clear demarcation here. On the one hand is a report with six proposals which the Minister of State's Government commissioned four years ago and which the Irish Congress of Trade Unions asked that Government to implement. On the other hand, IBEC asked that Government not to implement any of the proposals. Has IBEC effectively been given a veto on protecting workers' rights in this country?