Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)

I know the Minister has engaged in a hands-on way with the two companies mentioned but I will bring his attention to another case. He mentioned the responsibility of employers and the usefulness of the labour relations machinery. In my constituency, there was an employer that was, effectively, the State. This relates to St. Enda's Sports Complex in Limerick, which went out of business. The employees had not been paid redundancy and took the employer to the Labour Court last May, and the court's recommendation was that the employees be paid because the redundancy happened because of the withdrawal of funding by a Department. The Department of Education and Skills informed me the money had been put aside to pay the business but the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has refused to allow the money to be paid. We are talking about 28 workers and a grand total of €80,000, which is an infinitesimal amount of money when we consider what bondholders are being paid. A Department is liable for this €80,000 but the State is refusing to honour a recommendation of the Labour Court. Will the Minister investigate that and revert to me?

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