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Ministerial Meetings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Questions (134)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

134. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will engage with workers in a company (details supplied) regarding their current situation and their treatment by their employer. [25458/20]

View answer

Written answers

I was sorry to hear Aer Lingus announce their intention to restructure the business in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. I fully understand the difficulties this may bring to workers, their families and their localities, during an already challenging period.

To help businesses and workers through such challenges, the Government introduced the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) and its replacement, the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS). It appears that some Aer Lingus workers experienced difficulty accessing income support following the replacement of the TWSS by the EWSS on 1 September.

Whilst additional income supports for periods of unemployment, are a matter for my colleague Minister Heather Humphreys at the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, I am informed that following constructive engagement with senior representatives from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, it was confirmed that employees are eligible to apply for applicable jobseeker supports for days of unemployment, even when Aer Lingus is claiming the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme.

I must emphasise that Ireland’s system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature and that responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests in the first instance with the employer, the workers and their representatives. I would like to reiterate that the WRC is available to any interested parties who may require it. As part of its functions the WRC provides information relating to employment entitlements and obligations, equality and industrial relations matters by means of their telephone service. This service is manned by experienced Information Officers.

Any discussions entered into voluntarily by the workers and employers with one of the State’s industrial relations bodies, the WRC or the Labour Court, are confidential to the parties and I, as Minister, have no role in, or knowledge of, these discussions.

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