Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. This issue arose on Leaders' Questions and the Order of Business today. It is a very difficult time for the staff who have lost their jobs in this manner. My heart goes out to them. It is always very difficult for families when redundancy crosses the doorsteps. I thought of it very clearly today, when I read in a newspaper what had happened to the workers.

My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, has responsibility for all matters to do with company law, the appointment of liquidators and the execution of the liquidation process. The priority of my Department is to ensure workers receive their statutory entitlements. Employees who lose their jobs due to the liquidation of their employers are entitled to statutory redundancy payments and other wage related payments due at the time of liquidation. In the first instance, the staff of Xtra-vision who have lost their jobs as a result of the closure should contact the liquidator to ensure they receive their statutory redundancy and wage related payments.

My Department will deal promptly with applications to do with redundancy and insolvency payment schemes in respect of the former employees of Xtra-vision when they are received from the liquidator.

The employees should also contact their local Intreo office where Department staff will advise them on jobseeker's payments and other supports. They will also provide advice and supports on returning to work to all those affected by the closure of Xtra-vision. If the Deputy is aware of individual cases that have fallen through the cracks, so to speak, she should not hesitate to contact the Department directly but I have found that in such cases, the Department reacts swiftly and deals sympathetically with the applicants who are going through a difficult time in losing their jobs. Some of them may have been working for Xtra-vision for quite some time and, therefore, it is a difficult situation for them. Many of them may not be sure of the benefits they are entitled to but the Deputy can rest assured that my Department will respond appropriately.

Unfortunately, within the Dublin region, many of the employees may be located across the city. In rural areas outside Dublin, we can deal with these cases on a one-stop-shop basis but in a major urban area like Dublin, the employees are located across the city and, therefore, it is much easier for them to access their local Intreo office. In the first instance I would encourage them to submit their applications and discuss their situation with the staff in the Intreo office. The Deputy will find that the staff in the Intreo offices will respond appropriately and do everything they can to assist. They will explain clearly all the benefits to which these employees are entitled. We will do our best to ensure that any issue is resolved in a speedy manner but if there are particular issues that are not being resolved or cases of someone falling through the cracks, the Deputy should not hesitate to come directly to my office.

See this speech in context