In March this year the company in question announced a number of changes to its business, which would include a number of redundancies. At the same time the company notified me of proposed collective redundancies as required under the Protection of Employment Act 1977. That Act requires employers proposing collective redundancies to enter into an information and consultation process with employees' representatives. The company indicated that the exact location of redundancies is a matter to be confirmed through the information and consultation process.
I regret any loss of jobs. However, my Department remains focused on creating the most competitive environment for enterprise to succeed so that we can achieve our goal of sustainable employment for all. Working with our enterprise agencies and with colleagues across Government, we are committed to delivering a range of actions outlined in our National and Regional Action Plans for Jobs to ensure that quality and sustainable jobs continue to be created throughout all regions of the country.
As regards the employment rights of the workers, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is mandated to secure compliance with employment rights legislation. The WRC’s Customer Service Section provides information in relation to employment, equality and industrial relations rights and obligations, and how to obtain redress where appropriate. WRC information officials remain available to meet staff, either individually or collectively, to discuss their employment rights, including matters related to redundancy. The WRC’s Customer Service Section can be contacted at Lo-call: 1890 80 80 90. The website http://www.workplacerelations.ie also provides extensive information on employment rights.