asked the Minister for Labour the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork was not paid his full redundancy entitlements; and the reason numerous representations on his behalf by Deputy O'Keeffe have not been answered in detail.
Written Answers. - Redundancy Payments.
315.
The person concerned was paid the full redundancy lump sum to which he was entitled under the Redundancy Payments Acts from the redundancy fund because of the insolvency of his former employer. The Deputy's representations relate, I assume, to a possible entitlement to redundancy weekly payments.
The position is that section 8 of the Redundancy Payments Act, 1979, discontinued from 6 April 1979 redundancy weekly payments with certain limited exceptions. The case of the person who is the subject of the representations does not come within these exceptions and I regret, therefore, that he is not entitled to any further payments under the Redundancy Payments Acts.
As I explained in reply to a previous Dáil question on 7 July 1983, the question of restoring redundancy weekly payment entitlements to certain workers was considered at length in my Department in the light of legal advice on the very complex issues involved and the conclusion was that it would not be appropriate or practicable to propose legislation in the matter.
I regret that previous representations made by the Deputy were not answered in detail. This was due to the difficulty in tracing records about the particular case and the general pressure of work in the redundancy section of my Department because of the continuing high incidence of claims with which they have to deal.
316.
asked the Minister for Labour if he will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who was made redundant from his place of employment on 9 September 1983 and lodged a claim for redundancy on 7 October 1983 but has received no payment to date.
Under the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1979, the obligation to pay a redundancy lump sum to a redundant worker rests primarily with the employer who is obliged to notify my Department of the proposed redundancy. No notice of redundancy or claim under the Redundancy Payments Acts has been received in this case in my Department.
I am arranging to send the person concerned the appropriate forms and explanatory leaflet to enable him to make application for a redundancy payment under the Acts. If he considers that he is entitled to a statutory redundancy lump sum, he should apply, in writing, to his former employer for payment, if he has not already done so—form RP 77 may be used for this purpose. If the employer disputes his entitlement or fails to reply within a reasonable time, he should then refer his case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal—form RP 51A may be used for this purpose. If the employer concedes entitlement by furnishing a redundancy certificate but claims inability to pay, the employee should apply to my Department for payment from the redundancy fund—form RP14 may be used for this purpose.