Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)

Having experienced redundancy in the recession of the 1980s, I sympathise and understand what the workers at Aviva Insurance and their families are going through. I ask the Minister of State to ensure all possible resources are marshalled to help the workers in question. Will he outline what resources will be made available? I also ask him to meet management of Aviva Insurance to ensure there is certainty regarding the workers and their entitlements and to argue for the retention of as many jobs as possible. Will he also clarify whether it is possible to submit an application for funding under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund? I understand an application may not be made until March. If that is the case, will he ensure we will be prepared when the time comes? I also call on him to appoint one official to act as the sole co-ordinator across all Departments and serve as a single point of direct contact for workers. Having fallen down in this regard on previous occasions, we must ensure retraining and educational opportunities are available and workers are made aware of their entitlements.

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