Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We referred yesterday to the insensitive treatment of the workers in Clerys, some of whom have given over four decades of loyal service to the company or companies over those years. I understand the Tánaiste is meeting with a number of Clerys workers. The Minister of State, Deputy Nash, in his role as Minister with responsibility for business, has met with the liquidator. He has pointed out the duty and responsibility he has to ensure that representatives of the new company will meet directly with the workers.

Deputy Adams mentioned the Bill prepared by Deputy Tóibín on behalf of Sinn Féin. As I pointed out yesterday, the Government has strengthened the laws in this area with the new Consolidated Companies Act which was enacted last year. It had been going on for about a decade and included over 1,000 amendments. It is up to creditors to seek legal advice on whether the provisions in the updated Companies Act could be relevant to the present position. I have asked the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, to prepare a report on the evolution of the circumstances here. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, will consider whether it would be useful or appropriate to have the Company Law Review Group examine this issue, and whether it might be appropriate to make changes in respect of the way this particular situation evolved so as to prevent such a situation recurring. I would temper that, however, by saying that the range of company law can be complex.

This morning, I spoke to somebody who has a commission in Clerys. Some of these companies are able to move their now redundant staff from Clerys to their other premises, but some are not. There is clearly an issue here that needs to be resolved quickly. On the direction of the Tánaiste, the Department of Social Protection has assembled a team of people to meet and advise the now redundant workers on their rights and entitlements, including job seekers' payments and secondary payments such as rent supplement and future options for education, training or alternative employment. However, that does not deal with the issue that happened so insensitively when this meeting was called.

The Deputy is aware that SIPTU has made arrangements for Liberty Hall to be available for the workers today. It is better to have that facility so that everybody can have access to the fullest range of information arising from this. The Department of Social Protection will see to it that there is absolutely no delay in processing payments due under the redundancy protection scheme for workers. That means that they can be paid and claimed quickly, due to the suddenness of this situation.

As regards the Bill prepared by Deputy Tóibín, on behalf of Deputy Adams' party, I think it would be more appropriate for the Company Law Review Group to look at the circumstances. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, will advise on that in due course.

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