asked the Minister for Social Welfare the loss of revenue to his Department through the non-stamping of employees' cards by a firm (details supplied) in County Kildare.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Non-Stamping of Cards.
18.
A receiver was appointed over the firm in question on 29 September 1978. Arrears of contributions under the Social Welfare Acts amounting to £71,452.14 are due in respect of 194 employees of the firm covering periods from January 1977 to 28 September 1978. A claim for the total amount due, of which £47,104.39 ranks as preferential, is being made on the receiver.
All the contributions due are being treated as paid. The position of the employees, in relation to claims to benefit under the Social Welfare Acts, has therefore been safeguarded.
While I appreciate that the situation of the employees has been safeguarded, has the Minister any idea as to whether some of this money may be recouped?
I am afraid not.
Am I to understand that the stamping of employees' cards is not to be regarded as preferential?
Only £47,000 worth of this claim of £71,000 is preferential.
Why is the remainder not preferential?
That is a complicated legal question of which I would require notice but I think that the Deputy's main interest in this matter is the question of the protection of the workers.
That is so, but I am concerned with the question of employers failing to stamp cards.
More than half of the claim is preferential and I am not sure why the remainder is not preferential. However, as and from 1 April next the situation in this regard will be a lot more secure.
Has the Minister any idea of what will be the loss in this case to the redundancy fund?
The Deputy pursued that question fully yesterday.
But without success.
The answer was not satisfactory and I was not allowed raise the question on the Adjournment.
My responsibility relates to the position of the workers.
I am aware of that but there are other issues involved.