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

I thank Deputy Barry for bringing forward this Bill. I also thank and send solidarity and greetings to the former workers of Debenhams in my own area of Blanchardstown and the former workers of Debenhams stores throughout Ireland. Over the past year, I have spoken to many workers and to the Sinn Féin Deputies who have stood shoulder to shoulder with them. All of my colleagues spoke of these workers' steadfast determination to stand and fight for justice, and not only for themselves. The workers were talking about everyone else who was to come after them, especially those who will face redundancy in the coming months, as we know such redundancies will happen. As sure as night follows day, there will be strikes and pickets again about the same situation, just as there were before. Those to whom I spoke at Vinegar Hill - and other areas around the Blanchardstown Centre the workers have humorously renamed over the year - all spoke of their determination to stand up for other workers. They knew the chances of getting what they agreed with Debenhams were slim but they all said that, if other workers did not have to go through this, that would be their victory.

What does this Bill say? What are the workers demanding? They are just demanding that the redundancy payments and entitlements agreed with the companies be paid. These payments are due to provide for the discharge of the entitlements of workers who have been made redundant. This is a choice. The Government must choose who to put first in line, the workers, Revenue or other creditors. It is time to stop kicking the can down the road, which is unfortunately all that the Minister of State's amendment will achieve. It really is that simple. Who do we put first? Is it the people who have worked hard, struggled and ensured that a company has stayed afloat, because nine times out of ten the workers will have taken cuts and hits long before a company closes down? The choice is the Minister of State's. He should accept this Bill and not put in another amendment.

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