Vol. 561 No. 1
193 Mr. Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the new proposals in regard to redundancy payments take account of the problems facing the workers of a company (details supplied) in Athy, County Kildare; if there are proposals in regard to these problems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3189/03]
The employees of the company to which the Deputy refers were paid their full statutory redundancy lump sum entitlements by my Department from the social insurance fund in 2001 shortly after being made redundant.
The proposed higher levels of statutory redundancy payments are subject to ratification by the social partners. It is my firm intention to bring these proposed statutory redundancy lump sum and rebate payments into effect at the earliest possible date, in anticipation of a favourable outcome to the ratification process.
The problems facing the workers of the company in question concern a dispute between the employees and the company regarding ex gratia redundancy payments in excess of the statutory entitlements. This has been the subject of a Labour Court recommendation, with both sides of the dispute having been heard. I understand that the company has not paid the ex gratia amounts recommended by the Labour Court. While the court's recommendations are not binding on the parties concerned, the parties are expected to give them serious consideration, setting out as they do the court's opinion on the dispute and the terms on which it believes the dispute should be settled.
