David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Oireachtas Members from all parties and none will meet today to again discuss the issue of the European Court of Justice ruling in respect of the former Waterford Crystal workers. The case was taken by former workers of Waterford Crystal to the High Court and the High Court sought advice from the European Court of Justice in respect of the EU 2008 Insolvency Fund. The EU Court of Justice found that the State was in breach of its obligations under the directive and that it would be obliged to rectify this. This means the possible introduction of legislation as happened after the Robins case in the UK. The failure to transpose this directive will have potential implications for other pension funds. The State will also need to rectify the situation by compensating the former Waterford Crystal workers. I am a bit angry about the responses from the Ministers, Deputy Michael Noonan and Deputy Joan Burton. A number of weeks ago, representatives of the workers' legal team, an expert in the area of pensions and members of the UNITE trade union, addressed Oireachtas Members. On behalf of the Members who attended that briefing we wrote to both Ministers asking that they would simply meet with those representatives and with the trade unions but they have refused to do so. They seem to be hiding behind the courts again, a bit like the previous Government. They need to face up to their responsibilities that these workers need to be properly compensated and the quicker the State does this, the better.

I ask the Leader to inquire with the Ministers why they are refusing to meet the representatives of those employees and if he will agree that those workers should be compensated as quickly as possible.