Debenhams staff to stage 10 protests today

Debenhams workers at Henry Street in Dublin are prepared to face arrest if gardaí decide to shut down their protest again.

Last week staff protesting the liquidation of the store were ordered to disperse, although protests in Cork and Limerick were allowed to go ahead.

Ten separate protests are being mounted in Dublin, Cork Limerick, Galway Waterford and Newbridge this morning ahead of a liquidation hearing for the Irish arm of Debenhams on Thursday.

Jane Crowe, shop steward at Debenhams in Henry Street, says the stores are still profitable and could open up again.

She says they are determined to make their point.

"It'll be the same people turning up," she said.

"We will have our own banners with us but we are making a bigger one to quite clearly stress that we find it is an essential protest and it is a peaceful protest. We will have that banner there in case anyone has any doubt as to what it is we're doing.

"Hopefully the guards will leave us alone. It's only going to be 45 minutes, it's just to get our point out there"