Mr. Frank Allen:

The first question was on the industrial relations issue. No pay cut is proposed. For much of this meeting, we have been discussing how to improve the quality of public service transport in Iarnród Éireann. The changes that management has proposed to trade union representatives as part of the dialogue at the WRC relate to matters such as this. It is not a pay cut, but the redeployment of staff and getting more staff on trains. There is no pay cut and this is not the place to try to negotiate that deal. The company is in straitened financial circumstances. The proposal that has been put on the table by management is a fair one in terms of the staff and takes account of the company's difficult financial circumstances.

Regarding the participation in some international union of railway workers, I am not entirely familiar with some of the details. Iarnród Éireann provided some sponsorship for an angling competition that brought together railway workers and experts from various parts of Europe. It took place in Ireland recently. I did not know about it in advance. We discussed it at this meeting earlier. There was a difference of opinion. Opportunities for people in the railway to get to know and learn from the experiences of other European railways have value. I have no idea why it took place in Enniskillen rather than-----