Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is good to see the Minister of State. I again offer him my good wishes for Thursday. I wish to speak briefly in support of the amendment. It is good of Senator Higgins to acknowledge that my colleague, Deputy O'Reilly, tabled an identical amendment in the Dáil. It essentially comes down to ensuring that workers are given a say at these very difficult times that can arise in any business. Two months ago, I had a conversation with a man who had worked for a small business for 30 years. He had given his life to the business. The business was in difficulty and he suddenly found he had no say whatsoever in the future of the business. He was, effectively, discarded. That is just not right but, as the law stands, that is how things operate.

The amendment would basically instil a degree of requirement for consultation and dialogue, as Senator Higgins stated, so that people who have given a lifetime to the business - not just the owners, but the workers - would have some kind of defence in order to be able to be part of the solution. That does not mean there will not be job losses. Unfortunately, job losses are a part of the economic cycle from time to time. However, it means the workers would have a say in negotiating those losses and possibly negotiating a decent redundancy pay-out or decent terms. Unfortunately, as things stand, there is nothing in law to allow for any of that. As such, it is important to recognise the value of the amendment, which deserves support.