Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the ongoing dispute between Greencore and its former employees who are still to receive their redundancy payments; his views on whether Greencore should be using the compensation it received from the State to redevelop the site at Mallow before they have paid their workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2545/07]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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On 26 April 2006, the Labour Court made a recommendation regarding the redundancy terms for Irish Sugar workers at the Mallow plant. The court has issued three clarifications of its recommendation since April, butthese failed to achieve a resolution to thedispute.

Ireland's system of industrial relations is, essentially, voluntary in nature and responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes is a matter for the parties involved. The Irish system is designed to help and support parties in their efforts to resolve their differences, rather than imposing a solution on the parties to an industrial dispute.

The company has indicated that it is not prepared to alter its existing redundancy package. Similarly, the trade unions have not changed their position and are not prepared to accept the company's offer.

I very much regret the failure of the parties to find a resolution to this dispute. However, the services of the Labour Court remain at the disposal of the parties, if they wish to return.

As regards restructuring aid under the Agreement on the Reform of the EU Sugar Regime, this is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food. However, I understand that the EU restructuring aid for the sugar industry, as provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 320/2006, is to cover the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring, involving factory closure and renunciation of quota. In July 2006 the Government made decisions regarding the percentage of the aid to be reserved for beet growers and contractors and the indicative breakdown of the potential allocation of the aid to be followed by Greencore in preparing its restructuring plan. These decisions are now the subject of judicial review proceedings instituted by Greencore in the High Court and, in the circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to make any comment on this issue.