Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I know there is a blurry line between Departments and what they say because they are administering things and engaging in politics. I am not trying to be critical from a political point of view but I want to understand. A view has been expressed here and by the committee that there may be a systemic problem with buy-out contracts and the use of successive fixed-term contracts. Does the WRC ruling stand alone or does it prompt consideration by Ms Nash’s Department or by Departments that the suggestion of a systemic problem has now gained evidence, which has to prompt further investigation? Where is that at? Is that up to the Minister? Has it been said there is or might be a problem, or that the Department has to look at this and make systemic change if it turns out there is a systemic problem or systemic abuse going on? Who takes it a bit further?

With the use of buy-out contracts, where is that at? I think Ms Nash is more or less saying negotiations are happening, she is optimistic, people are talking to each other and it will resolve itself. That is not what I am hearing from the people who are forced to sign these buy-out contracts. That is not what they are telling us. I know there are limits to what she can say but I ask her to say as much as she can in response.