Vol. 556 No. 5
81 Mr. Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when statutory payments due to former employees of a company (details supplied) in County Louth will be made, including payments in respect of wages, holiday wages and union dues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20901/02]
Claims for payment of statutory redundancy lump sums were received in the redundancy payments section of my Department in respect of 96 former employees of the company concerned. The lump sum payments were made direct to each of these employees out of the social insurance fund between 22 August 2002 and 1 November 2002 when the final payment was made.
With regard to the insolvency payments scheme, the majority of the claims received in respect of outstanding pay-related employee entitlements have been paid to the liquidator of the company mentioned on behalf of the employees. The amounts paid cover wages, which in some cases include deductions payable for union dues and VHI, and arrears of holiday pay. Claims in respect of 11 employees are currently being processed and claims in respect of a further four employees are on query with the liquidator.
With regard to minimum notice entitlements, before payment can be made under the insolvency payments scheme, entitlement must first be established by appeal to the Employment Appeals Tribunal. I understand that appeals have been lodged by 104 employees of the company. A date for the hearing has not yet been set. If the employees receive favourable decisions from the tribunal, they should complete Form EIP2 which will accompany the decision and forward this form to the liquidator. The liquidator will then, in turn, forward these forms to my Department for processing and payment.
