Being made redundant only gettng statutory but employer getting compensation

[Ms2011]

A relation of mines job is closing down. The main client of the company (a large multination) is moving to the company's other premises in England and doing business to Ireland from there. Neither the company nor the client are losing out just the Irish employees of the company as they are all losing their jobs.
As a gesture of goodwill the client has given the company a large sum of money (not sure if there was any stipulations as to how it had to be used). The company kept this secret as they said they wanted to use it to close the business premises down ie. put the property back the way it was leased etc. even though they have the lease on the property for another 4 years and could easily open it back up in 6 months time if they wanted.
The company are now crying poverty and telling unions they can only afford statutory redundancy. I realise that a company isn't legally required to give anything more than statutory but are they under any obligation to filter the 'goodwill' money down to the employees???
Or if the client originally meant for the money to go in some way to the employees but the company didn't fulfill this are they in the wrong legally?

 

[csirl]

The company are now crying poverty and telling unions they can only afford statutory redundancy.

This may be the truth - your relation may be able to establish the true position from the accounts filed with the CRO if it is a limited company.

Or if the client originally meant for the money to go in some way to the employees but the company didn't fulfill this are they in the wrong legally?

Does your relation have any proof that this is the case? Was there a written agreement or instruction given to this effect?

 

[Ms2011]

This may be the truth - your relation may be able to establish the true position from the accounts filed with the CRO if it is a limited company.

It is a large well known international company who's profit are posted online.

Does your relation have any proof that this is the case? Was there a written agreement or instruction given to this effect?

The union are in the process of tracking down any information regarding the money as it has only recently come to light, it had been hidden by the company before that, I've not heard yet if any has been found.