Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for bringing this Bill before us today and for his persistent representations on behalf of the Debenhams workers. He has done his utmost, his very best, during the past 12 months to highlight their case. Those Debenhams workers have been through the mill and, as was said, they were peaceful and honourable in their protest and all they sought was their rights, to be paid their own money. It is galling to think that this company, which has all those assets and has been selling them and moving them from one place to another, has not been brought to book for it. It just shows there is a law in the country for some but not for others. I understand the company will now operate online and it has got to keep all the goods it had. That is very unfair and unjust on those workers.

The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement had and has a role to play in situations like this. We had other liquidations in County Kerry where small private employers of small and medium enterprises were caught out by bigger companies and those companies are back in action again, having left many people, including myself, without the money we earned and for which we work hard. They are in competition again and working away as good as ever. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement has a lot to answer. That office should be seen to be doing its job, which I do not believe it has in many instances.

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