Is the Minister aware that a very clear commitment and promise was made by the present Taoiseach and the present Tánaiste to amend this section to ensure that workers who were deprived of their employment in similar circumstances would get their unemployment benefit? Is the Minister aware that this alteration in the law was to be proceeded with forthwith? Is the Minister further aware that a large group of workers in Castlecomer in County Kilkenny have, since 15 March, been deprived because of the failure to act on this promise? Arising from the fact that the Government paid to the Clover Meats workers amounts of money equivalent to the social welfare benefit pending the amendment of this enactment, will he arrange forthwith to make similar payments to the workers in Castlecomer and other workers who are similarly debarred from social welfare benefits because of this section?

The payments made in that instance were made by the Department of Agriculture as part of a rescue package for the company at the time and did not come under this legislation. The Tánaiste gave an undertaking to have this matter reviewed immediately and that review is already under way. Naturally the views of the ICTU would have to be taken into consideration together with the views of the other interests concerned.

Can the workers be paid pending the outcome?

The Deputy is talking about a different question.

I am talking about the delay in amending the section, which is causing severe hardship.

That is a different question.