Mary White (Fianna Fail)

During this time of recession, cash flow is the life blood and oxygen of companies and families. Companies and families cannot survive unless they have cash. I draw attention to ineptitude on the part of State whereby the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is not paying employer redundancy rebates until six months after a person has been made redundant. Under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2003, a person on completion of two years in a job is entitled to two weeks' full pay tax free plus an extra week's bonus. A company is entitled to recoup 60% of the amount paid from the social insurance fund into which the company pays by way of employers' PRSI contributions.

People, unfortunately and sadly, are being made redundant. However, the Department is not paying employers——