Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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80. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will outline the work undertaken by her Department to support the 200 people facing redundancy from a company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24359/23]

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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Will the Minister outline the work undertaken by herself and the Department to support the approximately 200 people facing redundancy from the company Indeed?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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When my Department received the notification of collective redundancy from the company concerned, the employer relations division of my Department made contact with the company and provided information on income, redundancy entitlements and employment supports for their impacted employees. This communication contained a video presentation to be shared with its staff. A team from the Department is available to meet with the workforce, virtually or in person, to ensure speedy access to income supports and to support them into alternative employment, or to access appropriate education, training and development options.

When a person moves onto a jobseeker's payment, this team works with the individuals and focuses on what they need to assist them to re-enter the workforce. This individualised support comes in various forms, including the provision of supports and schemes when a customer returns to employment or to full or part-time education, or wishes to start their own business. My Department also provides an online jobs portal, JobsIreland.ie, where jobseekers can apply for open vacancies and employers can advertise their job vacancies. Further help is provided to jobseekers to create a CV and find their ideal job while also assisting employers to advertise their vacancies and match their requirements to jobseeker profiles already uploaded to the JobsIreland portal. I can confirm that my officials are available to meet with the impacted employees in the company concerned to ensure speedy access to income supports and to support them to secure alternative employment, or to access appropriate education, training and development options.

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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It sounds as though the Department has been very active on the issue. I wonder if Indeed has been active, however. This matter affects a number of people in my constituency.

The text or bumf from the company states that it will offer individual consultations to staff facing redundancy and meaningful engagement but the reports I have heard are that this has not happened, or certainly not in the way the staff require. They have come to me with questions regarding the rounding down, rather than rounding up, of years of service. I have been contacted by people who might have nearly four, five or six years of service but those years are being rounded down. They are seeking further assurances with regard to healthcare and dental. They are looking for longer vested periods in terms of their shares, as well as scaled statutory payments, rather than a flat rate, for years of service. The Department seems to be very active but is there oversight of the company with regard to whether it is doing what it says on the tin?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is happy to meet with the employees. We will appoint a contact person to whom the employees can speak directly. It is very difficult for people when they get word they are losing their job. It is not a nice place for anybody to be. I understand the concerns of the staff. They are worried about how they will be able to pay their bills. The team is available to help them through the social welfare system, try to match their skill set with other jobs and help them to find new jobs.

The Redundancy Payments Act provides for the making of payments by employers to employees in respect of redundancy. It is the responsibility of the employer to pay statutory redundancy in the first instance to eligible employees, in compliance with the relevant legislation. An eligible employee is entitled to two weeks' normal weekly remuneration for every year of service, plus a bonus week, and normal weekly remuneration is subject to a ceiling of €600 per week.

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister. It sounds like the Department is doing its piece in respect of the employees but the question is whether the company is subject to the kind of scrutiny that would ensure it is doing what it is required to do. I am not sure that is the case. All present are aware there is a natural ebb and flow of employees in the sector, and that is to be expected, but we should be fostering a sector in which employers are held to account and how they treat employees is seen as being important to the State. Many of these employees are facing into an uncertain time and seem very dissatisfied, more so than other employees facing into similar situations, with the way they have been treated by Indeed. I ask that the Department pay particular attention to the behaviour of that company in the coming months.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Policy and legislative responsibilities for the redundancy and insolvency schemes fall within the remit of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment but if the Deputy has particular instances she wishes to bring to me, I am happy to have them checked out. As she stated, when a person loses his or her job, it is not a nice place to be. The employees in question are vulnerable and both the Deputy and I will want to ensure they get the full entitlements they are due on foot of the redundancy. If there are specific instances she wishes to bring to my attention, I will be happy to follow up on them with my officials in the first instance. If it needs to go to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I am happy to raise it there as well.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Minister. That is very helpful.