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

First, I did participate in a Zoom meeting with Debenhams workers, and the Deputy should know that. Of course, I will meet a delegation of the workers. There is no difficulty whatsoever. I have communicated with workers in my constituency in that regard. The difficulty I have is that in situations such as this I am very reluctant to create false expectations and false hopes for people who are going through a traumatic time after losing their work in such unacceptable circumstances. The Deputy can stand here and say that we should introduce emergency legislation without specifying what he has in mind or whether it is tenable or sustainable.

In terms of my remarks about the State using all its apparatus to support workers, I recall being Minister with responsibility for enterprise when Motorola closed in Cork resulting in the loss of 400 to 500 jobs. We marshalled all the agencies ranging from Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to what was then FÁS to work with the workers collectively and individually to make a new start and get people jobs. That was an interesting study in itself because many new companies were born out of that experience. However, it took a fair degree of collaboration between State agencies working with the workers in that tech sector, and there were good outcomes in that respect. I am always of the view that the State should work with workers who have been made redundant to ensure it can secure alternative employment and give whatever supports the State has available to help workers to reskill, retrain or gain employment elsewhere.

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