Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 October 2020
56. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has made contact with a company (details supplied) and the trade unions to discuss the difficulties staff are having with the company. [27549/20]
View answerAer Lingus has announced 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.
I am aware that constructive engagement with senior representatives from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection took place to ensure that employees were eligible to apply for applicable jobseeker supports for days of unemployment, even when Aer Lingus is claiming the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme.
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.
I encourage all sides to make every effort to reach a resolution by agreement between companies and workers with the help of the industrial relations machinery of the State.
