Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Is the Taoiseach not even a little embarrassed by the proposals published on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment website last Wednesday regarding the rights of workers in liquidation situations? On the issue of honouring collective redundancy agreements in liquidation situations, the Government says "No". On the issue of prioritising workers for payment in liquidation situations, the Government says "No". On the issue of making employers pay a serious penalty if they refuse to comply with soon-to-be-extended consultation provisions, the Government again says "No". With one Deputy Varadkar-like shimmy, the Government has buried half of the Cahill Duffy proposals, ignored the key issues raised by the Debenhams dispute and sent a clear message to workers who face job losses that they are on their own. It is interesting that this report was published on a Department website in a week the Dáil was in recess. This begs the question as to whether the Taoiseach is embarrassed or ashamed of the Government's proposals.

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