Former Independent Clare TD Violet Anne Wynne told a court she currently has no income to pay off a €6,500 debt from a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) award against her.
“I am currently unemployed so I don’t have an income at this point in time,” Ms Wynne said at Ennis District Court on Friday.
Ms Wynne was appearing in court over a determination order that her constituency office worker Fiona Smyth secured last December. The order concerned a then unpaid €11,500 unfair dismissal made by the WRC against Ms Wynne.
Daragh Hassett, solicitor for Ms Smyth, told the court Ms Wynne has paid only €5,000 of the €11,500.
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In court last December, Ms Wynne said that she would pay down the debt from her Dáil termination payment.
Judge Alec Gabbett warned Ms Wynne that non-payment “becomes a criminal sanction as it is an offence to disobey a court order”.
Ms Wynne said: “I know that when we were here the last day that I hoped to make the commitment to make the payment in full.”
She said at the time it was her understanding “that I would be able to draw some of my pension payment and that is how I made the partial payment in the first instance”.
“You said that you were getting a lump sum on retirement from Dáil Éireann?” the judge said.
Ms Wynne said “as it transpires they changed the pension scheme for new TDs elected in 2020”. She said the change was not fully outlined to her.
Mr Hassett said it was open to Ms Wynne to pay the outstanding €6,500 in instalments.
In response, the mother of six said she was “not in a position to make any commitment here today”.
Asked by the judge whether she could make payments on a weekly or monthly basis, Ms Wynne said she could not currently but that may change in the very near future.
Ms Wynne said she is unemployed at the moment and her partner is also off work due to illness.
“You have been told by Ms Wynne that there is nothing coming into the house. I find that hard to believe and I would ask that she file a statement of means,” Mr Hassett said.
The judge directed that a statement of means be provided including bank statements.
He adjourned the case to July 11th and told Ms Wynne: “I would rather not go the enforcement route.”
