asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether skilled workers who were employees of the Great Northern Railway Works, Dundalk, will be entitled to compensation if they are offered employment by Dundalk Engineering Works, Limited, at unskilled work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dundalk Workers' Eligibility for Compensation.
8.
There is no question of entitlement in this matter. Payments made by the Dundalk Engineering Works Limited in respect of severance pay are entirely ex gratia and are made only to persons who are declared permanently redundant by the Company because there is no suitable employment available for them in the new undertakings. Nobody has yet been declared to be permanently redundant and, accordingly, no payments have been made in respect of severance pay. Any question as regards the suitability of the employment available would be a matter, in the first instance, for consideration by the Company.
Can the Minister say what employees, if any, will be declared redundant? For how long will this ex gratia payment be enforced? Surely there is a time limit?
The company are not yet in a position to say what employees will definitely be declared redundant. They have asked for some further time to consider it and they hope to do so at the earliest possible stage.