Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to reform the JLC structure. About that there is no doubt.

There are many other issues that Government needs to look at, apart from the rates of lower paid workers on a Sunday, such as the issue of legal and medical fees. In the current economic turmoil, there are still higher professionals who are charging sums of money more akin to the Celtic tiger. Those are two of the areas that should be on the table, not merely issues such as the Sunday premium.

In terms of Government making decisions, definitely there will be difficult and unpalatable decisions to be made and certainly no one in Government will walk away from the responsibility of making such decisions. I, along with my colleagues, will not turn my back on those working in such sectors as catering, hairdressing and security. These are people who have disproportionately carried the burden of the economic collapse. These are people who have inordinately suffered because of right-wing politics and ideology in this country over recent years and the excesses of vulture capitalists during the Celtic tiger era. That being said, I want to give the following commitment in this House this evening. Unpalatable decisions will be made and let us not presume that these decisions will affect the lower paid.

Deputy Joe Higgins has a cheek to mention the spirit of Connolly and Larkin in his motion. Deputy Joe Higgins was a member of the party of Connolly and Larkin and, in line with his political behaviour, he could not behave himself and he was expelled. That stands out in my mind as one of the finest decisions ever made by the Labour movement in this country. Any lectures from a tired Trotskyite about solidarity will be dealt with and absolutely ignored, as we should do with those of anyone whose political career is characterised by divisiveness, driving a wedge between small groups of people, running off to the European Parliament and coming back here as a United Left Alliance candidate having stood as an Independent Labour candidate in Mulhuddart in 1999. Up there with the decision to abolish third level fees-----

See this speech in context