'Can Leo not do his maths?' Protesting Debenhams staff hit back at Tánaiste

Michelle Coughlan-Price leads former Debenhams workers and supporters on a rally outside the St Patrick's St store, Cork City as the sit-in protest continues inside the store. File picture: Larry Cummins

Former Debenhams workers have hit back at Tánaiste Leo Varadkar after he suggested that the collapsed retailer had no assets to fund its redundancy payments to staff.

“Can Leo Varadkar not do his maths, or does he think we’re stupid?” asked Madeline Whelan as she led a large protest outside the Patrick Street store in Cork where she worked for 30 years.