asked the Minister for Labour if, having regard to the growing number of pending redundancies in industry, he will expedite the introduction of legislation to provide for redundancy payments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Redundancy Payments.
32.
The legislation for redundancy payments is being drafted as a matter of urgency. It is a complicated measure but it is my aim to have it introduced and circulated at the earliest possible date. I should say that the information available to me does not support the suggestion in the Deputy's question.
Will it be before Christmas?
I was hoping to have it before Christmas. It required a great deal of consultation and most of the delays in regard to this legislation were due to having consultation. Now the consultation is over, and a complicated piece of drafting has to be undertaken. I am hoping to have it before Christmas, but certainly it will be soon afterwards.
Mr. O'Leary
The Minister will be clear in saying the redundancy payments agreed upon by the Government are minimum requirements in the matter of severance pay, that wherever the trade unions and employers can arrive at better conditions of redundancy payments, this will be possible?
This would not do away with private arrangements.
I mentioned in the House the case in which a private scheme was being prepared in which the workers have been notified the scheme would be in accordance with whatever steps will be taken in legislation to provide for redundancy payments. Having regard to the undesirability of keeping workers in the dark, will the Minister do his best to hurry up the matter even more?
Everything I could do was done quickly, and now that it has got to the drafting stage, I do not see any cause for undue delay.