Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Debenhams workers are not looking for anything over the top. After their years of hard work, and after what they have given to the community, they are looking for fair play but Debenhams is not playing ball. The workers are protecting assets in this country belonging to Debenhams to try to ensure they will get a fair deal. The Irish have always been known as "the fighting Irish", for fighting for the people of Ireland. It is about time that the whole of Ireland regrouped and fought for the Debenhams workers.

We see people every day trying to live on what they have at the moment while dealing with Covid-19 and then a disgraceful company such as Debenhams has put us to one side and said, "We do not care." We look at social media and at what Debenhams has sent out, saying that if customers have Debenhams vouchers, they can use them online. I ask the people to send a clear message to Debenhams and to the Government that we want Debenhams to be held to account. If an Irish company was doing this, the State would seize its assets and hold it to account. The Government should find a way to hold Debenhams to account and to make it look after its workers. They have paid tax in this country. They have clothed us and looked after the community. Debenhams has nothing but disrespect for Ireland. It is about time that Ireland turned around and said, "We are going to be disrespectful now to you and make you pay", and that it hurt it in the pocket until it looks after our Debenhams workers.

I congratulate the Independent Group for bringing forward the motion, which I fully support. I thank the Debenhams workers for keeping up the fight. We will send a clear message to Debenhams that it will not stand on the Irish because we will stand for it.

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