Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, Employment and Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, has welcomed that an end is in sight for the Debenhams workers.

Teachta O’Reilly said: “I welcome that a proposal has been put to the workers after agreement has been reached between Mandate trade union and the Debenhams liquidator.

“It is now over to the workers to decide on whether they will endorse the terms.

“The treatment of Debenhams workers throughout this process has been frankly appalling. They have been treated in an unfair and indefensible way. 

“I want to commend the admirable determination they have shown in their campaign for fair treatment. They should have always been entitled to fair conditions and process.

“In July, I published the Protection of Employees (Collective Redundancies) Bill 2020 in order to protect workers and stop tactical redundancies. The Tánaiste has the Duffy Cahill report on his desk and he needs to act on the recommendations without delay.

“I am committed to ensuring this legislation is enacted to ensure that other workers will be protected from being treated in the same unfair way as the Debenhams workers were subjected to.”