David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is fine to have a collective agreement. Why refuse to engage with the trade union representatives of those on self-employment contracts, especially if they have been only given that option? They have not been given an option to be an employee. That would answer the question that was raised by people in the clips we heard earlier. They are being forced to accept the loss of the right to be represented by their trade union. Is that an outworking of the logic of having to accept that contract? Ms Cusack said that people on such contracts are not covered by a collective agreement. If people have a grievance about their terms and conditions, their trade union representative will be unable to have a conversation with her.