Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Tiernan for that. I suggest that as part of our pre-legislative scrutiny we would invite all the representative organisations and ICTU to comment on that and other points.

I agree with Deputy Berry that membership of ICTU and provision for it is an important step forward. It is important to allow the Defence Forces to have representation, in particular when key talks are ongoing. I would argue that the prohibition on taking industrial action makes it more imperative that the representative organisations could have membership of ICTU. Section (2B) provides the Minister with power to withdraw the right to associate with ICTU from PDFORRA and RACO in the future. If we ever get to that point, it would crystallise a real breakdown in the relationship between the Government and the members of the Defence Forces. I am surprised at the inclusion of that section in the first place, but I would also surprised if there were to be provision for some reason or another, such as national security or otherwise, to remove the right to associate with ICTU. At a very minimum, it should be a right reserved for the Oireachtas as opposed to a single Minister. Does Ms Tiernan have any comments in that respect?