Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the decision by the EBS not to pay staff their 13th annual payment which has been a long-standing part of their employment contract; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that staff in EBS were only informed of this decision on the 6 December 2011, three days before payment was due, and that this has left many of them in a dire financial position; if he will intercede to resolve this issue; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the interest-free loans offered by EBS to staff to ameliorate this situation are subject to benefit in kind of 12.5% and if he will waive that provision for this specific case; the reason managers in EBS continue to receive their 13th annual payment but staff below that pay grade do not, which has created a grave unfairness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41045/11]

Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason an EBS worker (details supplied) in County Waterford along with all front line staff at that institution will not receive a thirteenth month payment in December 2011 as they traditionally have done while managers will be paid a bonus; if there will be any recourse for EBS workers in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41077/11]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Finance his views that staff at team leader level and below at the State-supported Educational Building Society are not to be paid their annual Christmas payment when EBS staff from assistant manager level upwards are being awarded the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41429/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 76, 78 and 95 together.

I have outlined my position on the various matters raised in the questions above when replying to previous parliamentary questions on the same subject (refs: 40290/11 & 40334/11 of 14 December 2011 and 40410/11, 40538/11 & 40633/11 of 15 December 2011) and in my contribution to a Topical Issues Debate on the issue of 15 December 2011.

In the course of that contribution, I indicated that I would like the matter to be resolved taking into account the parameters and restrictions surrounding the issue. I have also communicated this directly to the trade union involved and to solicitors representing it, on foot of legal correspondence received, indicating that the matter should be pursued directly with the employer - EBS Ltd.