Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their contributions. It is important that they are here. Ms King spoke about the moral and social imperative for policymakers to ensure that the workers in Bord na Móna, and their communities, do not become collateral damage in this process. I assume she was addressing us when making those comments and she was suggesting that this committee has a moral and social imperative to ensure that collateral damage does not happen. We do not have the final say, but a week ago we had a two-hour discussion and statements on what is happening in Bord na Móna. When it was put to the Minister that the company is refusing to go to the WRC, he responded by stating that Bord na Móna is engaging with the joint industrial council. That was it. The Minister refused to answer when asked if he would tell Bord na Móna to go to the WRC. Reference was made earlier to the fact that someone has to tell the management of Bord na Móna to sort this situation out. Would that be the Minister? Should he tell Bord na Móna to get into the WRC and engage in a meaningful way? Do the witnesses think he will, and should, do that? Is that the role of the Minister?