I wish to take this opportunity to wish John a very long, happy and healthy retirement.

I wish to raise with the Tánaiste the issue of the Debenhams workers, now out for six months. Yesterday KPMG wrote to Mandate. It said it was willing to offer a commitment to notify Mandate at least two hours in advance of the times when and the stores which the liquidators intend to enter for delivery of packing materials or removal of stock. KPMG broke that undertaking in the middle of the night in the Henry Street store. Mandate has responded to KPMG and is seeking that it will proactively re-engage. The workers in Debenhams have been given tea and sympathy and pats on the back. We all agree they have been treated disgracefully, but they are six months out, and now we find that KPMG has gone into the stores and broken an undertaking it gave to the workers. Will the Tánaiste join me in condemning the actions of KPMG? Will he pick up the phone to the trade union, the workers and KPMG and convene a meeting? That is what is needed at this stage. This will not be resolved until such stage as the parties meet, but there were developments overnight that require the Tánaiste's urgent attention.

I agree with my colleague. It is vital now that the Tánaiste steps in to convene a meeting with KPMG and the workers and their unions to resolve this matter. It has been going on for six months. We need the Government to step in now because my worry is that this could escalate next week. We need it resolved now.

The shameful behaviour of KPMG in sending a notice to the union representatives of the Debenhams workers stating it would not try to remove stock this week and that it would give two hours' notice, and then in the dead of night sending people in to remove stock, is absolutely shameful but typical of the way in which KPMG has treated these workers. The Government has said it has sympathy for the workers. I remind the Tánaiste that the Taoiseach said he did not believe there should be strike-breaking in respect of Debenhams. The Tánaiste should therefore condemn what KPMG has done. He should call on anybody who has any respect for these workers not to cross the picket line and not to put them in the position of facing possible jailing. He should immediately convene a meeting with the shop stewards and other union representatives and KPMG, chaired by the Government, in order to prevent these workers from ending up in jail.

People in Limerick have picketed Debenhams for their rights. The Government should stand up. I have asked it before, and I am asking it again, to stand up and protect the workers. They are not looking for a massive payout; they are just looking for what they are entitled to. KPMG is disgracing the Government. Our Government must stand up and send a clear message to KPMG. Our workers - the ones we are here to protect and the ones who have paid taxes for years in this country - are now turning to our Government to stand up for them. Many people in this House are standing up for them. Why can our Government not do so?

On behalf of the Government, I congratulate John on his retirement and thank him for his wonderful service down the years. It has been great to have him looking after us and watching out for us ever since I have been a Teachta Dála. We wish him and his family the very best in his retirement and thank him so much.

The Debenhams issue is a matter before the courts. Of course I would condemn any breach of any court order or written assurance. I have not seen such a written assurance - I have to add that caveat - but if one has been broken, any right-thinking person would condemn the breach of a court order or a written assurance offered in good faith. There is regular engagement with the unions, with Mandate, as recently as Monday, I think. Ministers have met the union, and I have been in direct contact with Debenhams UK, which, as the House will be aware, was the parent company but which has largely walked away at this stage. As for any engagement between the Government and KPMG, it should be borne in mind that this is a liquidation process, a court-sponsored process, and there are limitations to the extent to which the Government can intervene in a court process.