Former Waterford Crystal staff will receive rebates from the Revenue Commissioners in the coming weeks in respect of the employers 10.75 % PRSI on the lump sum payment they received from KPS.
The Revenue Commissioners has also decided to reduce the employee’s own PRSI payment from four to three percent.
The 800 or so former Kilbarry workers were angered and dismayed last week when their cheques from KPS, received via registered post on Monday and Tuesday, amounted to less than half the amount they had originally anticipated. Deductions included the employer’s PRSI, along with PAYE, PRSI and health levy and income levy. An attached letter from the receiver David Carson said, “I had no involvement in the calculation of your entitlement”.
In recent weeks it emerged that the receiver had refused to pay the employer’s PRSI on the €10m payment negotiated by trade unions UNITE and TEEU last March to compensate the workers for the loss of their jobs and redundancy payments. Local Oireachtas members lobbied the Government on the workers’ behalf, while the City Council last week passed a special motion calling on Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Taoiseach Brian Cowen to ensure the €10 m fund be paid in full without deductions.
Walter Cullen of UNITE trade union told The Munster Express that those affected will be notified shortly and that there is no need for them to contact the Revenue Commissioners office. Depending on personal circumstances, some of the workers may also be entitled to a refund of income tax/ PRSE/ health levy/ income levy.
