Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First, the Minister of State's response bears no relationship to my question. I ask him to study my question and revert to me on it. There is a small chink of light with his statement that: "The key message for employees is that the Department will provide any redundancy, insolvency and jobseeker payments to which they may be entitled in a timely manner". How will these people pay their rent? Last week they were in work, this week they are not. Where will they get the money to pay the rent? The Minister of State has the discretion to send a very clear signal that they should be paid now.

I raised other issues which I do not have time to discuss now. They relate to liquidations such as this. There is a responsibility on the Minister if this is a tactical liquidation which is to the advantage of the company and the disadvantage of the workers. The company ignored the unions and communications from me and other local representatives. It was wilful, deliberate and tactical. The company went to the court. The people who are the salt of the earth and who gave loyal service to this company are being abandoned. The Minister might not have had the chance to study what I said but I ask him to take up this matter and make a difference in the lives of these workers and their families.

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