Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a representative of Government, and by association a representative of the public and the shareholder, Mr. Horgan believes a protocol is in place and, as chair of the board, he is being informed by management and by worker directors and staff that almost all items pertaining to industrial relations now end up in the Labour Court, which goes against the grain and the thread of industrial relations in that company for the past 30 to 40 years. Would he not say that it would be incumbent on him, as that conduit, to say whatever protocol they have is not working? Would he not ask them to renegotiate a protocol that will work and keep them out of the Labour Court, he knowing full well how wrapped up those issues become in the Labour Court, having served on it for 12 years and been chair of it for five years?