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

I have another a brief point. I explained to the Minister that one of the Waterford Crystal workers died this morning. A total of 20 have died since the factory closure. The Minister said their estate or entitlements in respect of pensions would probably remain, although she was a little uncertain about it. She reckoned their widows would still be entitled to these things.

I seek two points of clarification. There is nothing we can do now for the workers themselves. It is a tragedy. Even if their spouses are entitled to whatever is finally agreed, the workers did not benefit from all those years of contributions. Furthermore, I was talking to the workers over lunchtime. They sought some assurances because the matter is still a little unclear for them. I am unsure of the details and perhaps the officials know better, but they have concerns that this will be the case and that whatever package is finally agreed, there will be no difference between what the spouse gets and what the worker would have got if he were still alive to get his pension entitlement. There are hoping that they will get assurances on these matters and they were somewhat concerned that this might not be the case.

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