Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will expedite payment of a redundancy payment to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [41152/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to the Redundancy Payments Scheme on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF — rebates to those employers who have already paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation. Payment of statutory redundancy is, in the first instance, a matter for the employer.

The records available to my Department indicate that a redundancy rebate application was lodged by the former employer in respect of the individual concerned on 19 May, 2009. Where a redundancy rebate is being claimed from the Department, there is a declaration on the form which must be signed by the employer and the employee. From the employer's perspective, this attests to the fact that the employer is confirming that payment of the statutory redundancy entitlement was made to the employee concerned. The signature of the employee is required as evidence that the employee has received the redundancy payment due to him. My Department is somewhat at a loss in this case as the form has been signed by both parties so it is not clear how the employee is awaiting payment of his statutory redundancy entitlement from the employer. It would be appropriate in these circumstances that the Redundancy Payments Section of my Department would pursue this issue directly with the company and I have asked them to do so.