The decision, when it came, was sudden but not surprising. One year ago today, the London-based hierarchy of Debenhams announced the liquidation of the chain’s network of 11 Irish department stores. The operation had been haemorrhaging cash for years and was reliant on bailouts from its UK parent. The pandemic had made a bad situation terminal. It was not the only British retailer to shutter its Irish outlets at that time. Monsoon and Laura Ashley also appointed liquidators. But, while those have largely been forgotten, the collapse of Debenhams remains a live political issue as a result of a sustained…

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