Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding enhanced redundancy packages in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51412/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As previously advised, on the 7th December 2011, and on 27th November 2012 the issue of statutory redundancy was heard before the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) with 22 appellants seeking a redundancy payment. The EAT upheld that 20 of the 22 appellants were entitled to a statutory redundancy payment from their former employer, the organisation to which the Deputy refers. The appeals of the other two appellants were withdrawn at the hearing. Following the EAT decision, redundancy lump sum claims in respect of the 20 eligible employees were received by the Department. The 20 claims have been awarded and payment of their statutory redundancy entitlement, issued directly to those former employees in May 2012. It should also be noted that when the project closed, FÁS offered each JI Participant on the scheme alternative employment with other community employers in Tipperary including the retention of accumulated service and pay. These positions were approved by FÁS, were additional to existing positions and would not have displaced jobs of existing workers. Only one person took up this offer. In relation to an enhanced severance package, to which the Deputy refers, I am advised that no basis exists to enable payment of an enhanced severance package in this case.

The Department has no outstanding statutory redundancy payment claims on hand in respect of the organisation to which the Deputy refers.