Danny Healy-Rae: Calls for answers on Debenin workers' payouts
Danny Healy-Rae spoke on 12 May 2021 about the plight of Debenin workers and criticised the handling of their liquidation. He thanked Richard White Barrett for bringing the bill and urged action over asset transfers that left workers without their money.
Acknowledgement of Bill
Danny Healy-Rae opened by thanking Richard White Barrett for bringing the bill to the chamber and for his persistent representations on behalf of the Debenin workers over the previous 12 months.
Worker conduct and claims
He said the Debenin workers had "been through the mill", describing them as peaceful and honourable, and said all they sought was their rights and the money that was due to them.
Company actions and asset transfers
He criticised the company for selling and moving assets, noting it appeared the firm would operate online and that goods had been retained by the company - a situation he called unfair and unjust to the workers.
Director of Corporate Enforcement criticised
Danny Healy-Rae said the Director of Corporate Enforcement had a role to play and "has a lot to answer", arguing the regulator should be seen to be doing its job. He referenced other liquidations in Kerry where smaller employers were cut out by larger companies, leaving people, including himself, without earned money while those companies returned to business.
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I too want to thank Richard White Barrett for bringing this bill here before us today and to thank him for his persistent representations on behalf of the Debenin workers. He has done his utmost, his very best over the last 12 months to highlight their case. And these Debenin workers, they have been through the mill and like has been said previously, they were peaceful, they were honourable and all they looked for was their rights, what was their own money. And it's galling to think that this company had all these assets and selling them and moving them from one place to another and that they brought a book about it, it just shows that there's law in the country for some and not for more. And you see, they're going to operate online now, that's my understanding and all the goods they had, they got to keep and that's very unfair and unjust on these workers. I believe the Director of Corporate Enforcement had a role and has a role to play in situations like this. We had other liquidations in Kerry where small SMEs, small private employers were cut out by bigger companies and they're back in action again now and left many including myself without the money that we earned and worked hard for. And they're in competition again now and worked away as good as ever, I believe the Director of Corporate Enforcement has a lot to answer and he should be seen to be doing his job that I don't think he has done in many instances.
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