Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and the question in regard to the Debenhams workers. My response yesterday was not lacklustre and it was not equivocal in terms of how Debenhams has treated its workers in Ireland. It has treated them very badly and very poorly. The State will do everything it can to support the workers who have been made redundant by the company in the manner described by the Deputy.

The programme for Government outlines the necessity to review legislation, particularly in terms of its utilisation by companies to lay off workers by way of the trading side of the company being insolvent and the separating out of the assets, which are then not available to facilitate the payment of redundancy to workers. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to review the Companies Act with a view to closing off the vehicles or mechanisms by which companies can treat workers so shabbily and badly.

Governments arbitrarily cannot intervene in liquidations as easily as suggested by the Deputy. That said, Debenhams should do the right thing by its workers. It should pay the levels of redundancy agreed in previous engagements. There are obligations on the company in terms of its workers. The Government will do everything it can within the law to support the workers. We will provide every resource possible to enable them to secure their rights and entitlement, but also future employment and other supports they may require to enable them to deal with what has been a very difficult and traumatic situation for them as workers. They have been treated very poorly in that regard. The Government is committed to reviewing that legislation and amending it.

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