Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the information available to his Department on the closing down of a hotel (details supplied) in Dublin 9, and the subsequent loss of 60 jobs; the assistance his Department will provide to these employees in respect of their entitlements; and the assistance which is available to these employees in respect of securing alternative employment. [16511/08]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is no information currently available to me in relation to the closure of the hotel mentioned. If the hotel has closed, with the loss of all jobs a redundancy situation may exist and the employees may be entitled to statutory redundancy payments.

Statutory Redundancy is an employment right, and is available to any employee over the age of 16 who is a class A contributor in insurable employment for two years prior to the date of termination. It is the responsibility of the employer in the first instance to pay statutory redundancy to each eligible employee. When an employer pays the statutory redundancy lump sums to those eligible employees, he is entitled to claim a rebate of 60% from the Social Insurance Fund by submitting completed forms RP50 in respect of each redundant employee to my Department for processing.

In general, a redundant employee with the required 2 years service in an employment is entitled to receive 2 weeks pay per year of service, plus a bonus week at the gross rate of pay up to a ceiling of €600 per week. Further information and an online calculator to assist in calculating entitlements is available on the Redundancy Payments Section of my Department's website www.entemp.ie. Further information may be obtained by telephone at 016313051.

The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) can provide information to employers and employees on entitlement to annual leave or minimum notice of cessation of employment. NERA may be contacted by telephone at 1890 808090.

The employees concerned would have the assistance of their local FAS offices in securing alternative employment/up-skilling and/ or re- training in the event that their current employer is not in a position to offer work.