Ms Liz Murray:

That is an awful thing at the end of a working relationship. I was struck by something in the document produced by the Department of Finance on budget 2023. The Minister stated that a new collective agreement had been agreed with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, regarding construction crew. Part of that collective agreement deals with pensions, but there is a significant issue with pensions, one that also has to do with state aid and Europe in general. The agreement is an industry agreement that the Department says should make things equal, but it does not stand approved by the Labour Court. Industry collective agreements were shot down by the Supreme Court as being unconstitutional. The Deputy will recall the construction industry registered employment agreement, REA, and the catering agreement. For example, National Electrical Contractors Ireland had a case. Those bodies won their cases and the legislation was amended in 2012. Now, we can have sectoral employment orders, but they must be approved by the Labour Court. The Labour Court must take a great deal into consideration, for example, the amount and ratio of representation in an industry. If there are 2,158 people, it will not take much to work out the ratio, but we must also take into account the added dimension of other member states. If someone from another member state comes to Ireland, his or her terms and conditions of employment cannot be driven down because we have an agreement that is at the minimum rates of pay. I believe our colleagues in Equity will speak to the committee about the UK agreements and how Irish actors fare worse here than equivalent actors who come from outside.

I am sorry for forgetting my train of thought, but I wished to say something to the Deputy relating to Mr. Arkins's point. A construction industry pension has been set up for people who work on film productions. I presume, if someone says he or she wants money to be deducted, it will be. I inquired about that pension. Guess whose name it is in.