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

I raise an issue with the Taoiseach that has been raised numerous times in the Chamber in relation to Debenhams workers who have been on strike for over 200 days. It is becoming one of the longest strikes in Irish labour history. My colleague, Deputy Boyd Barrett, raised this issue with the Taoiseach last week and the Taoiseach acknowledged that the talks in the WRC did not deliver a solution. The Taoiseach said something has to be done. Regardless of political affiliation, I think we all agree that something has to be done because this cannot go on. What the workers are looking for is very just: a fair redundancy. That is the cornerstone of this fight. Many TDs, of all political affiliations, have visited the picket line and the workers want to see a solution. They want to see a meaningful settlement to which they are entitled. Some of the workers worked for the company for decades.

They feel as though they have been robbed by their employer and they feel let down by the State. This should never have happened. If we look back at what happened in Clerys, the Government should have implemented the Duffy Cahill report and this should never have happened.

A solution can be found at this late stage. This could go on indefinitely and we want to see a settlement by the Government. The Taoiseach can intervene personally. Sometimes the last people to get paid as creditors are the workers themselves. They are the people who made all of that money in the first place so it is a terrible injustice. The Government can waive the fees that are owed to the State, which could accumulate up to €20 million. To sort out the strike would cost between €12 million and €14 million. The Government has the power to waive these fees with regard to final settlements. The strike has to end, and it will end, but it has to end with workers feeling they have not been robbed. That is very important. They should not be robbed and they feel they have to have a settlement. This could go on forever. It is in the Taoiseach's power to intervene in this personally and end the strike as soon as possible.

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