Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am here from Tipperary. We do not have a Debenhams store but we stand in solidarity with the Debenhams workers. I agree with the motion tabled by Solidarity-People Before Profit tonight and I support them. The way ordinary workers are treated is truly shocking. A fair day's pay for a fair day's work should be the motto. Most SMEs that we were talking about yesterday and today, with regard to the Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill, look after their workers, their workers respect them, and vice versa. There has to be respect for workers. One must support them. Ní neart go cur le chéile. We cannot have companies such as Debenhams and many others, some of them home-grown and not English like Debenhams, including flagship co-operatives, not treating their workers well. This situation at Debenhams cannot be allowed. I stand with Deputy O'Donoghue from Limerick. We will stand with these workers and ask people to support the workers, who have been on the picket line for 100 days. Money can be transferred out of accounts and that is why I do not like some of the big supermarkets that do not even bank their money here. Debenhams had bank accounts here but now it does not. We must do something with legislation to try to stop this moving and stripping of assets. Where are the accountancy firms?

How are the accountancy firms here standing over it? These are not the ordinary accountancy firms one might find in any rural town. They are some of the biggest and brightest, and they have been here right through the financial crash. They have been supporting and benefitting from work for NAMA and every side of NAMA. However, here we are and they walk on the ordinary people, the ordinary man or woman whose day's work must be respected. People must now vote with their feet and ask friends and colleagues, many of us have family and friends in England, to ensure this does not happen and that Debenhams does not blaggard workers in this way. We are worse here, however. Our successive Governments are in hock and are in bed with big business. They will not challenge big business and this is wrong. We had it with the banks also. The money is going once again to the pillar banks, which are not functioning. We must have decent legislation that respects the rights of workers. As I said earlier, it must be a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.

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