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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Apr 1967

Vol. 227 No. 9

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disemployment of Workers.

38.

asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware that 100 employees of a firm (name supplied), some of whom have had up to 50 years' service, have lost their employment; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that these men receive redundancy payments and to provide alternative employment for them.

Until the legislation on redundancy payments is enacted, the question of redundancy payments is a matter for negotiation between managements and workers.

The Employment Service of my Department has been keeping in close touch with the situation and will continue to give all possible assistance in placing the workers in alternative employment.

Some of these men who are skilled in their profession for over 50 years are now thrown on the employment exchange. Will the Minister take steps to ensure that they are properly compensated because of the closing of this oldest bacon factory in Limerick—Matterson's? What steps does the Minister propose to take?

The Deputy will appreciate that, because of the specialised nature of the work these men do, it is not easy to find alternative employment for them. The manager of the employment exchange and his staff have been contacting other people who employ butchers, but the prospects at the moment are not good.

Has the Minister taken any steps with regard to redundancy payment for these men?

Legislation for redundancy payment will be before the Dáil next month. Until that is enacted, redundancy payment should be a matter for negotiation between unions and management.

Will the Minister take steps to make these payments retrospective from the day Matterson's closed down in Limerick?

We have raised this matter before with the Minister. It is very serious.

Wait a moment; I want an answer to my question. Will the Minister make redundancy payments retrospective from the day Matterson's closed down, because these 100 men have been thrown out without one week's compensation?

I do not want to anticipate the legislation, but I do not think it will be retrospective.

The Minister is aware that a number of firms have closed down in the past year? These workers are being laid off in a period when legislation is being prepared. It seems to us extremely harsh that workers should suffer because of delay in this matter, as they are suffering before this legislation comes into being.

In the absence of a national scheme of redundancy payments, private schemes should be negotiated between unions and management.

The State certainly did not set a very good example for management.

The Minister is aware that the unions endeavoured to have redundancy payments made?

I am aware. The Deputy should inform his colleagues not to be asking me to do things they should be doing.

This is a serious matter——

The Deputy is trying to put every bit of responsibility for this matter on to my shoulders, but he will not do it.

We are saying that many people are being laid off without any protection from the law. This is a serious situation for these people at a time when the air is thick with promises of social justice for the workers from your Party.

You will have the legislation next month.

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