Solidarity and Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry
This afternoon.
Solidarity and Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry raised the protest held by several former Debenhams workers on Henry Street, Dublin 1, on Tuesday (top).
Last week, a High Court appointed povisional liquidators to the UK chain’s Irish operation after it was told by the company that it is insolvent and couldn’t pay its debts.
During his contribution, Mr Barry briefly held up a Debenhams sign.
He said:
“Taoiseach, I also want to ask you about the use of emergency powers by gardai on Tuesday to disperse a disciplined, socially distanced protest, by Debenhams workers here in Henry Street in Dublin.
“Not only did the gardai instruct the workers to disperse, and to take down the signs, which they’ve asked me to hold up cause they were refused the right to hold up that sign on Tuesday.
“Those workers were threatened with arrest, they were threatened to be put in the back of a Garda van.
They were escorted to their Luas and bus stops by the gardai and the guards instruction a trade union shop steward to desist from conducting an interview, well away from the store, with a journalist.“
Yesterday: Do A Bit Of Debenhams
The legislation is being abused by certain elements of the Gardai and the Policing
Authority need to take action otherwise we are on slippery slope
Yep, that was definitely not on
Did they have a letter from their employer saying they were essential workers?
How many people would have seen their protest if the gardai didnt move them on…
This. They knew they would get moved on and be able to get a load of attention as a result.
They should be entitled to protest assuming keeping to distancing rules, unfortunately they will have to fight, during this difficult time, for the best possible outcome from the Debenhams situation.
The Guards, fupp sake, can’t do anything right – someone fighting for their rights and their well being gets harassed onto a Luas and told to go home, toe rag in a tracksuit dealing drugs on the quays in broad daylight can carry on regardless.