Local TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has described the treatment Debenhams Ireland workers, many of whom have spent decades with the company, as “callous, unfeeling, and appalling” after the news of the company’s liquidation was announced in the media and by email to workers. Debenhams in the Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght and other Stores have closed with immediate effect
Teachta Crowe said: “As we have seen with the Clerys workers who were left in the lurch by a private equity vulture fund, Ireland is failing to protect our workers against businesses in Ireland. “Irish workers of Debenhams have served the company well. One constituent who contacted me had worked for the firm since it came to Dublin almost 25
years ago. To say that they have been treated shabbily is an understatement. An announcement in the media and a generic email to hundreds of employees directing them to the Citizens Information website to claim state redundancy payments is a callous, unfeeling, and appalling way to reward such long service.
“To close your doors in the midst of a pandemic is to be expected. To use it as a lame excuse to lay off hundreds of workers and to provide no redundancy or support is not. No worker should be treated this way. “Sinn Féin contacted Minister Heather Humphreys about this situation, and we have followed up in recent days, and we’ve also been in touch with the General Secretary of Mandate Trade Union, John Douglas.
“It’s imperative the government make clear if they had foresight of this decision through the state’s stake in Bank of Ireland which makes up part of the ownership structure of Debenhams Ireland, and outline what supports they will put in place immediately for workers who have been made redundant. “It’s extremely stressful and worrying to be made redundant at any stage, but now during a global pandemic makes this all the more difficult for the 1,500 directly employed and 500 concession staff across the state.”
