Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the circumstances which led to the issuing of redundancy notice to 81 employees of a company (details supplied) in Dublin 11; if he will report on the contact which his Department has had with the company concerned; and the assistance which his Department will provide to employees in sourcing alternative comparable employment. [12336/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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On 22 February 2006, the Minister originally received notice under the Protection of Employment Act 1977, as amended, of collective redundancies at the company. The position was up-dated by the company on 1 March 2006. On 15 March, an official from the Department contacted the local FÁS office at Finglas and appraised them of the situation with a view to providing training opportunities for the employees.

Since the commencement of section 7 of the Redundancy Payments Act 2003 on 10 April 2005, there has no longer been a legal requirement for employers to notify the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in advance of the statutory redundancies of individual workers. The new comprehensive, on-line statutory redundancy form RP50 is instead furnished in respect of each employee after the actual redundancies take place and after the employees receive their statutory redundancy lump sums, with the employer making an application for the 60% employer rebate.

As a result, the Minister has not as yet received the relevant form RP50 in respect of redundant employees of the company concerned. However, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will fully meet its statutory responsibility under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2003 to ensure that all eligible employees receive their correct statutory redundancy lump sum entitlement.

In addition, as mentioned in an Adjournment Debate on 8 March 2006 on this issue, the Deputy can be assured that every effort will be made by the industrial development agencies to secure alternative employment for the redundant workers in the area. In addition, FÁS has been in contact with the company's human resources manager, setting out the full range of services which they are making available to the employees concerned.