Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

My first point relates to grocery prices. There seems to have been a change in tone from the Government but not in the substance of its approach to this issue. As far back as February, the Taoiseach implored and pleaded with the sector for price cuts.

What I described as the “pretty, pretty please” approach has not worked. The Minister told us he is not happy with the situation. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, is convening a meeting of the retail forum and, who knows, he might bang the table at the meeting. Retailers have been given six weeks. There is a change in tone but the approach is still to ask. The ball is in the court of the retailers. and the Government is not directly intervening in the situation. If we do not see real, substantial change after the six weeks, will the Government keep asking or will it directly intervene on behalf of hard-pressed householders who are being pinned to the wall on this issue?

My second question goes back to the Indian nurses. The Minister said the issue of family reunification and visas for spouses is under review. Can he give indicate when we might have a definite proposal on that? I raised the issue of the QQI level 5 training that these nurses are being compelled or forced to undergo if they continue to work in the health service after the two years, which they have to pay for from their own pockets. These are qualified nurses. They are qualified way beyond QQI level 5, so why do they have to do the extra training? Why does the State force them to pay for that from their own pockets? The Minister did not comment on that. I ask him to please do so this time.

Finally, on the issue of the fishers, we are talking about excessive hours and not having sufficient rest or breaks. What does that mean in reality? It can mean 20-hour working days in the fishing grounds, particularly in respect of prawn. It means exhaustion in conditions that can be dangerous. There are accidents. There are people who develop serious back problems. Fishers lose digits as a result of the exhaustion. I will be blunt. It is not good enough that the Minister’s predecessor came to an agreement with the International Transport Workers’ Federation on this issue in April 2019 – more than four years ago - and in reply to my parliamentary question, he said it would be on the legislative programme for spring of last year. The Minister has come back to the committee today and told us it is under review. That is not good enough. I would like his feedback on that.