Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Debenhams workers who have been on strike for more than 105 days through very difficult circumstances because of the public health emergency. Anybody who has visited the picket line would be inspired and amazed by their determination over 14 or 15 weeks. It has been a very difficult time but their solidarity and support for each other is inspiring for anybody who supports the trade union movement. It is everything that is good about working class people. It is about standing together, shoulder to shoulder, when they are up against it.

These workers are fighting for a fair redundancy. Some of these people have worked with Debenhams for over 25 years.

Can the Minister of State imagine how he would feel if he was treated like that having worked for an employer for 25 years? He would feel very aggrieved. That is the reason the workers have been on the picket line since April. They will win.

The Dáil is almost like a bubble. It passes legislation to protect workers and so forth but in one night in 2008, the banks were completely guaranteed in respect of all their debts, yet legislation that could protect workers in redundancy such as the Debenhams workers has never been passed. That leaves a very bitter taste in people's mouths. It is ironic that the Bank of Ireland has a 14% share in Debenhams so it has an obligation to the workers to give them a decent settlement and a decent redundancy.

As a member of the Government, the Minister of State should call in members of Bank of Ireland and ask them what their obligation is to the Debenhams workers. He has the power to do that because in 2008 the Government bailed out the banks to the tune of €4.6 billion. I will repeat that figure - €4.6 billion. It is an incredible amount of money. Taxpayers in this country have been on the line for that money yet workers are screwed every time they try to stand up to their employers.

The Debenhams workers are an inspiration, not only to the trade union movement but to the working-class movement. It is up to us to pass this motion today to send a message to those workers that they can and will win.

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