Ms Rhona McCord:

I think the Deputy answered the question himself when he spoke about collective bargaining rights. That is absolutely key. It is key for trade unions to have a right to access to speak to workers and to recruit workers in the sector. It is a historical fact that trade unions have played a key role in combating inequality in our society and across the world. That is a fact. One of the things blocking us in Ireland - President Higgins referred to this not so long ago - is that we do not have decent trade union legislation on a par with that of our European neighbours. We lag far behind. The Industrial Relations Act 1990 has played a key role in blocking trade unions from access to workplaces and to collective bargaining. They are the most important things from our perspective in terms of what we are talking about here today. It is important to note, as some have referred to, that there are lobby groups looking to recruit from outside the EU to basically exploit migrant workers and lower the expectations in the sector for workers. We need to note and be really aware of the fact that those workers will have to pay the same rents that Mr. Kelly referred to earlier and live in the same conditions that we live in on low pay. It is not a sustainable answer. In fact, it is the opposite. It is more than a race to the bottom. It is a race to social catastrophe. That collective bargaining piece is the key issue for us.