Rehab Logistics redundancy deal
Deputy O'Dea said Rehab Ireland was reneging on a redundancy agreement for former sheltered employment staff in Limerick. The Taoiseach called it regrettable and said he would pursue the matter with the Minister.
Before we continue, can I ask Deputies to stop interrupting with whatever computer or phone they are operating, please? It is very intrusive. I call Deputy O'Dea.
Comment on this
Just under two years ago a company called Rehab Logistics in Raheen in Limerick, which provided sheltered employment for vulnerable people, went out of business and made its 38 staff members redundant. At the time, a redundancy package was agreed between the workers and Rehab Ireland and both parties signed off on that. That agreement was subsequently endorsed by the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. Now, unfortunately, Rehab Ireland has decided to renege on that agreement and is proposing to offer much less. Many of those people have worked for this company for a very long period of time, and most of them are suffering from profound disability and will need care into the future. In view of the fact that Rehab Ireland is a publicly funded body, can the Government use its powers of persuasion or influence to ask Rehab Ireland to honour its commitment to these vulnerable workers? It is an appalling way to treat them. The amount of money involved is only a couple of hundred thousand euro.
Comment on this
I thank Deputy for raising this issue. I will certainly pursue it and will ask the Minister to do so. It would be very regrettable if an organisation that receives substantial funding from the State would renege on a WRC agreement, which seems to have materialised here, and it is an agreement reached some years back in respect of redundancy. I will certainly follow that up.