Mr. John Arkins:

We put forward a proposal to Screen Producers Ireland, SPI, roughly two years ago suggesting that a holding company would be set up involving the employers of the members of SPI, that the section 481 money would be put into the holding company and that the members would be employed by the holding company. We have examined that proposal and the only way these issues can be resolved is with the employers and the employees. We know this has worked in the shipping industry where dock workers were treated in manner where they got a job today and did not get one tomorrow for no other reason other than the colour of their eyes. Those workers put a holding company in place. Section 481 money could be put into a holding company. The producers would be the directors and owners of the holding company. We as employees would be employed by the holding company. We would get our entitlements, holidays, advancement, training and pensions. We do not believe that proposal was ever put to the membership of SPI. In the meantime, we have had to complete agreements with three of our employers, who to date have signed agreements directly with their workers. Those are the only legal agreements between an employer and employees in this industry today. We have come up with solutions that need to be addressed and discussed.