The High Court yesterday ordered directors of an Irish-registered company to explain why 14 South African telecommunications electricians working in the UK failed in get pay cheques cashed on Holy Thursday.
Yesterday's court hearing followed a dispute in January when the South African electricians, shortly after their arrival in Ireland to work on the Eircom network, found themselves out of work. They have since been given alternative employment.
Last January, undertakings to pay the South Africans were given by Kelly Technical Services (Ireland) Ltd, of Claregalway, Co Galway; Kelly Technical Services, a London-registered company; and brothers Mr Raymond Kelly and Mr Declan Kelly, directors of the two companies.
The earlier court hearing was told the South Africans came to Ireland between October and November last year, having allegedly signed contracts with the Kelly firms to work on the Eircom network for a minimum of one year. In January, the men were told that Eircom had stopped providing the Kelly firms with work. The firms pleaded this was outside their control and undertook to seek alternative work.
Yesterday, Mr Frank Callanan SC, for the South Africans, said they were working for the Kelly companies in Ireland and the UK. They depended on prompt payment of their wages.
On Holy Thursday a bank had refused to cash the men's cheques, claiming it had not received authorisation from the Kelly companies. A letter of authorisation had since arrived and the men had been paid.
Mr Callanan said the men were also seeking to have their accommodation in the UK paid as they had considerable difficulty in that they were paying emergency tax in Britain. They were living in a sterling area but were being paid in Irish money.
Mr Justice Finnegan adjourned the matter to May 8th.