Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We all hope - the workers more than anybody else - that their jobs will be secure and that a buyer will be found for those shops, particularly, as I said, in Dublin 15, in Dublin West, in the Blanchardstown Centre, where we have three of those shops and, potentially, hundreds of jobs. However, we also have to prepare for the possibility that they may not be bought. Unfortunately, from what I have heard so far, because I asked the Taoiseach these same questions last week when I raised the same issue, is that the workers were given the same answer, which is, as a representative of Deloitte had said to them, they will only get the statutory redundancy if the company closes. They need to hear more than that from the Minister of State. They need to hear that the Government will stand up for them against these companies which think that they can let the workers down - make an agreement and walk away from it. They have done it with Debenhams and we have had people on strike for eight or nine months now.

It is disgraceful and unfair after that length of time, another set or workers is facing that. I am disappointed to hear again that those workers will only be entitled to statutory redundancy if the worst comes to the worst. The Government needs to step up to protect workers.

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