Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Notwithstanding that all of the amendments have been ruled out of order because they impose a charge on the State, very similar amendments were presented to the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, when we last sat. I cannot speak for everybody, but when we suspended that day, the Minister of State told us that she would come back and provide a response to the spirit of what the Members were trying to relay that day. We are waiting on that response. The spirit of what we are trying to say is that the State is closing down these businesses. We all get why it is and we probably do not dispute that it is closing them down. What is a real concern to all of us is, first, proper compensation must be provided for the livelihoods of the farmers. We hear today there have not even been negotiations, discussions or informed consent with the farmers involved. More importantly, the two weeks' statutory redundancy that was offered some weeks ago for the 35 or so people who earn their living working on these farms does not sit well with any one of us.

The State is responsible for making these people lose their jobs. It needs to stand up and say it knows what it is doing is for the right reasons but it is making sure the measures it puts in place will look after the people's livelihoods. That goes so far as making sure the Intreo offices look after the people to retrain and reskill them. Last week, Senator Gavan suggested we should put up a special fund and that was rejected. As a former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, I know it is something Intreo offices do as a matter of course. I would like to know the reason it is not being done here. There is still an outstanding issue with regard to the compensation package that is being offered to the farmers. From their communication with us, they do not agree with it, but more egregiously wrong is the way they have been treated in negotiations in recent months. It is not what we would consider acceptable. I would like to hear a response from the Minister before we decide if we agree to section 7.