Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to speak about a very important topical issue. I represent Dublin Mid-West, which includes Lucan, Clondalkin, Rathcoole, Palmerstown and Saggart. Liffey Valley Shopping Centre is central in that constituency and contains HMV, which is a major employer and outlet, at least up until this week. I am very concerned for the overall welfare of the 300 employees of HMV Ireland and specifically the 16 employees in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Dublin Mid-West.

I am aware that they have not been paid their Christmas salary on which they are depending. They were due to get five to six weeks' salary, including overtime. I am outraged that this money has not been paid. I learned today that the management instructed the employees not to open the stores and that the employees were effectively made redundant without notice. When inquiries were made by employees as to the status of their salaries, they were told that they would not be paid but that some arrangement could be sorted out in the meantime as HMV had an entitlement with the Irish Government.

That is some attitude from an international outlet. I am very unhappy about this. This company had full knowledge of the difficulties it was about to encounter for quite some time and yet until last Sunday it continued to trade and indeed sold gift vouchers to customers. I contend that it knew full well the difficulties it was encountering and that the staff would lose their jobs. Vouchers are not just for Christmas but are valid for a period extending beyond that.

I have some questions for the Minister for State in the short time I have. What contact has been made with Deloitte in respect of HMV and the employees' wages? What can be done by the Department and is there any legal comeback regarding the entitlement of thousands of customers whose gift vouchers the stores have refused to cash in?

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