Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for stopping Senator Leyden in his tracks before he could pursue that line again. While I welcome the Minister of State, I regret the Minister had to leave. As in the case of undertakings given in the case of the company in Kilkenny which has been mentioned frequently, similar, less forthcoming undertakings were given with regard to another company. It is ironic that the lights went out as the Minister left the House, given that when she visits east Galway on errands, the lights usually go out after her departure.

I previously raised the sad cases of AT Cross in Ballinasloe and, more recently, Square D, an excellent employer in an excellent industry in which 385 people unfortunately lost their jobs. As I am unable to ask the Minister directly, I ask the Minister of State to seek clarification regarding the date of 25 May on which the provisions concerning redundancy payments will take effect. Only a skeleton workforce will remain in the Square D manufacturing outlet on that date. Will the Minister of State indicate whether workers who remain in the company after 25 May will benefit from the provisions of the Bill, while many others who will have already left by then as part of a process of downscaling agreed by workers at all levels will not? Will the Minister take special notice of this case in which an agreed procedure of staggering closure will leave some who are still working in the company eligible to benefit from the new provisions, as they are not due to become redundant until mid-June, while others, who left at an earlier stage, will not? This is a unique case which demands her special attention, regardless of commitments given.

Will the Minister of State ask the Minister to provide me with information on the commitments she made to take urgent action during her various visits to Ballinasloe following the terrible news, which broke on 15 January, that Square D was to cease production and close? The closure was followed by an action programme to replace a task force, established following the closure of AT Cross, which failed miserably, despite the many undertakings given by the Minister at the time regarding replacement jobs, none of which has materialised.