asked the Minister for Labour if he has made representations on behalf of employees who have worked with a firm (name supplied) in Clara, County Offaly all their lives as regards making a special payment to those who because of age are unlikely to be able to adapt themselves to retraining for alternative employment which payment would be in addition to any payments the employees will receive as redundancy payments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Clara (Offaly) Disemployed Workers.
54.
Under the Redundancy Payments Act, 1967, employers are obliged to pay to qualified redundant employees a lump sum of half their normal week's pay for each year of service between the ages of 16 and 41 and a week's pay for every year after that. Redundant employees who do not secure alternative employment may also qualify for weekly payments, the duration of which is related to pre-redundancy service.
The firm have informed my Department that they will consider sympathetically the position of older long service employees under the pension scheme operated by the company.
There is some mistake. That is not the reply to my question.
I took Questions Nos. 49 and 53 together. I have already answered the Deputy's question. Does the Deputy wish me to go through it again?
How could the Minister take Nos. 49 and 53 together?
What was the reply?
The examination of the report has not been concluded.
Could I ask the Minister to hurry this up because there are aspects here that are extremely urgent and could he ensure that the usual long delay will not take place?
Yes. I shall deal with it urgently because I am anxious to get it in relation to other matters with the Department of Health.
On Question No. 54 would the Minister be in a position to state when he will have definite word from the employers about this particular matter? I am sure the Minister will appreciate this is a really desperate situation and calls for extraordinary measures because the whole economic and social life of the town and surrounding area is involved. When does the Minister expect to have a reply from the firm?
I could not say. There is nothing extraordinary about our scheme. We are paying in the normal way.