asked the Minister for Labour whether he is aware of the proposed closing of Perry's Brewery in Rathdowney, County Laois; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to ensure that unemployment will not be caused in the own.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Closing of Laois Brewery.
22.
I am aware of the proposed closing of this brewery.
I am advised that a number of the workers have been offered alternative employment in the company's other breweries at Kilkenny, Waterford and Dundalk. The workers who lose their employment as a result of the closure and who register for employment at the branch employment office in Rathdowney will be advised of any suitable alternative employment opportunities which the employment service can discover, and I have directed that a special review should be undertaken of the possibilities in this regard.
Is the Minister serious in suggesting that an offer to some 40 or 50 men, some with 38 years service, with their families and houses in Rathdowney, of alternative employment in Dundalk, Waterford or Kilkenny is satisfactory? Will he indicate whether he has made any inquiries in these breweries as to whether or not work is available for brewers who up to this have been employed in Rathdowney?
I did not get the last question.
May I explain the question this way, with your permission, Sir? I am informed that there is a redundancy problem in Waterford, Kilkenny and Dundalk at the moment.
I understand from the company that employment in these other breweries has been offered to some of the workers.
The rest can sign on at the labour exchange.
Can the Minister say what percentage of the total who will be affected were offered employment?
I am not quite sure. The number was ten out of 48.
Has the Minister made inquiries? The men are meeting today. Surely if there was an offer, it should be known by now?
Will the Minister say when it became known that the brewery was to be closed down?
I do not see the point of the Deputy's question. I was informed before the announcement was made.
Would the Minister say what period before? Would the Minister not take power unto himself to ask employers to notify him as far as possible when there is about to be a major close-down? The Minister is Minister for Labour, and according to Government announcement, he and his Department are going to take over the placing of people in employment: therefore it would not be unreasonable for him to ask employers to notify him where major closing down is likely to take place.
This would be the policy of my Department.
Arising out of what the Minister said to Deputy Corish, would he indicate, having been informed of the proposal to close down the brewery, what steps he took to prevent such closure and to ensure that proper, alternative employment would be available to those men and their families in Rathdowney?
I will answer the question which the Deputy asked when he interrupted and when he should not have interrupted. The Deputy is assuming that the Government should take away the rights of a private company to close down. If the Deputy wants to argue, we must have a framework in which to argue. Is he promoting the idea that the Government should prevent a firm from closing down or does he want to make whipping boys of Ministers? I am aware that if a firm is extending or closing down, they have every right, in our economy, to do so. Is the Deputy suggesting that the Government take the right of preventing them closing down?
Mr. O'Leary
Yes.
I suggest that the Government and the Minister should be concerned when a large company utilises its capital for the purchase of a small brewery for the purpose of closing it down.
The Deputy will have to prove this.
(Interruptions.)
If I may be allowed to answer Deputy Corish—it will be Government policy to encourage notification of prospective redundancy, apart from closures, and to encourage employers to give this notice.
If the Minister has not this power by law, does he not think he should take it?
I shall.
Will the Minister make an order to ensure that he hears of any closing down?
What is the use? He sat on his fanny.
(Interruptions.)
If that is what Fine Gael want to promote, they should say so.
The Minister is doing nothing. As Minister for Labour, he should have known what was going on.
(Interruptions.)
Will the number of supplementaries——
Will the Minister state——
Will the Deputy please allow me? Remember that the number of supplementaries is not illimitable. Many supplementary questions have been asked on this matter and I cannot allow any more.
Mr. O'Leary
I have been trying to get in for some time. Is the Minister aware—as Minister for Industry and Commerce, he must have known this —that one of the problems is that a large firm was involved in the take-over here? Is he aware that the unions involved in this are not satisfied? They have complained that large-scale firms are taking over industries, especially breweries, in this country. Is the Minister aware that Messrs. Guinness who have taken over this brewery, have also given an unofficial sounding to Messrs. Smithwicks in Kilkenny that there will be large-scale closing down of breweries in this country? Is the Minister further aware that many trade unions feel that what has happened in Rathdowney — what is euphemistically known as rationalisation of industry—is likely to take place?
The Deputy is making an argument. I am calling the next question.
Mr. O'Leary
Many unions have expressed themselves against this.