Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the information the Minister has given and his commitment to dealing with these issues. They are applicable not only to the workers at Connolly Footwear, but also those at La Senza, Vita Cortex, Jane Norman and many others. I hope the Minister can prove in the measures he proposes to take that we have a machinery that is capable of delivering justice for workers who are unfairly treated. Looking at the experience of the past two years, one might conclude that the most effective way for workers to obtain justice in these matters is to occupy their place of employment. That seems to be the only means of fast-tracking a fair resolution in these cases. People should not have to do that, just as they should not have to wait three years for a conclusion.

I am sure the Connolly Footwear workers are awaiting a verdict with bated breath. Given the duration of this particular case, I hope the Minister will keep an eye on proceedings. He must ensure for the future that there is proper enforcement and compliance in such cases. The measures he is proposing must deliver a system that works in an efficient and timely manner and delivers compliance when employers are found to have behaved wrongly towards their workers.

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