asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state when the decision to pay compensation to ex-employees of the Dundalk Engineering Works will be implemented.

The Dundalk Engineering Works announced last month that they were arranging a system of severance pay or stand-off pay for workers who would be permanently redundant or temporarily redundant respectively. The implementation of this arrangement is a matter for the company. A Supplementary Estimate will be necessary to recoup the company the amount of its outlay under these heads and I understand that particulars required for the preparation of the Estimate will be furnished this week.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say on what basis the compensation will be paid? What means will the company use to pay the severance pay?

That is a matter for the company.

That seems to be a separate question.