IBEC’s “misleading and irresponsible” claim that the law doesn’t need to be changed to prevent another Clerys debacle doesn’t stack up, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Congress General Secretary Patricia King said the employer body’s assertion flew in the face of the evidence, and pointed to the recent Duffy-Cahill report, which identified serious deficiencies with existing legal protections for workers.

“We all saw what happened, and the appalling indifference shown to workers escorted off the premises by security guards with a few moments’ notice. Many had decades of service and were left with just the bare, basic redundancy package. To add insult to outrage, the new owners then sent the redundancy bill to the Irish taxpayer,” she said.

Congress has called for early legislation to implement the Duffy-Cahill recommendations, and has sought a meeting on the matter with Mary Mitchell O’Connor, the new Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.