David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many of these companies, including Capita and the company operating the emergency call-answering service, do not recognise the industrial relations machinery of the State. They refuse to attend Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and Labour Court hearings. When the Department enters into contracts with these organisations, why are there no obligations on them to at least recognise the industrial relations mechanisms of the State? I would have thought that should be a basic obligation. If a company is being asked to do a job on behalf of the State and is getting taxpayers' money, I would at least have expected that it should have to comply with industrial relations law and abide by and participate in the industrial relations machinery of the State. The first point related to Capita. Is Mr. Griffin aware that Capita has, in several instances, not engaged with the industrial relations architecture of the State?