Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

As I understand it, Senator Browne's amendment seeks to provide that people who have left the company would be entitled to participate in a shareholding scheme. In the ordinary definition of the term, "shareholding" is used to reward people who have been in a company for the work they have done. It would be exceptionally difficult in this case to establish an entirely new scheme. The separate scheme which operated previously is no longer in place. The Senator seeks to set up an entirely new scheme for people who have left the company. Those who have left the company, notwithstanding what we have discussed in the previous amendment, have done so with pensions or lump sums. Where would this start and end? Should we consider all former employees of the company or those employed from a certain date? There is no way to properly accomplish the Senator's goal in the normal operation of any shareholding or pension scheme.