Senator Ulick Burke asked when the Bill would come into effect. For the employees to qualify for the changes in the Bill, the date is 25 May, and employees issued with notice of redundancy on that date or later will be entitled to the enhanced payments, i.e. two weeks' pay for each year of service, plus the bonus week. Senator Burke also raised questions regarding retrospection. It has been explained by the Tánaiste that the legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General is that the payment of statutory redundancy lump sums is a legal requirement for employers and could not be imposed on them with retrospective effect. Employers are entitled to due notice of the intention to legally require them to pay enhanced rates. The new Redundancy Act has to be brought into effect by ministerial order after enactment by the Oireachtas, and this cannot be made retrospective.