Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

What the workers asked everybody else was whether we would look at the legal issues in regard to some of the money that has not yet been paid. I mentioned the Minister is doing this, but I do not know the legal certainties of doing that as it is EU money. It is a private company but it has been through the Labour Court. Because the factories are closed it wants to develop the sites and it stands to make a lot of money. Under the 1946 Act, it is not legally permissible for the Government to force somebody to comply with the Labour Court, but it is the voluntary arrangement. The reason it is not legally compelling is that employers follow the standard norm of industrial relations, namely, to abide by the Labour Court and Greencore should do this. I cannot put it clearer than that. Whether we have a legal hold on some of the money as yet unpaid is a matter that will have to be examined. As I understand it, this money is owed to the staff. The Labour Court has made a determination. We will look at the legal issues it but the company should pay up. It stands to make large amounts of money out of the redevelopment of these sites. Our view is that the company has been treated well by the State. I am aware the company and its chief executive does not share that view.

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