Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Here is the problem. The State and the Government have not intervened in the appropriate way to protect these workers. I remind the Taoiseach that since 2015 he has been saying that there needs to be a review and a change to the legislation. In regard to the Clerys situation he said, "The most effective intervention is legislative". At that time, he challenged for a review of the law to ensure that this type of behaviour cannot continue. Five years on, the Taoiseach is still talking about reviewing legislation. That is not good enough. Deputy Martin may be new to the office of Taoiseach but he is not new to Government. Fianna Fáil supported the previous Administration for four long and very difficult years, during which it did precisely zilch, nothing, to ensure that this type of scandalous situation would not happen again.

This afternoon, we will publish legislation in line with the Duffy Cahill report to prevent these kinds of tactical liquidations and insolvencies.

I ask that the Government support this legislation and, furthermore, that we make time before we rise for the summer to ensure we have on our books the right law, which is long overdue to protect the Debenhams workers and all the other vulnerable workers out there at this time of economic crisis, so that this type of scandal cannot happen again. That requires the Taoiseach to act, not to contemplate, push things down the pipe or hide behind complexity but to lead from the front, to act and to legislate.

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