Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

Deputy Penrose and I would be happy to return to discuss that issue with the Minister. Today, however, I am talking about the 490 workers in Waterford Glass who traditionally had secure and well-paid employment but whose jobs are disappearing, the workers in C&C in Tipperary and the 51 threatened redundancies in Aer Lingus. These people have commitments, such as families, and expectations. Three months is too long to wait to help these people — FÁS and the Department should be at the door to help them into new jobs as soon as the redundancies are made known. I have met these people, as the Minister has in his official capacity. They feel displaced and that is the first step to a sense of alienation and everything that flows from that.

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