Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have an observation to make on this and then a final question on the general provisions. In the course of the consideration of the Bill, committee members were written to by Fórsa trade union. I know these are matters between the trade union, its workers and the employer, and I am not seeking for the committee to get involved in those matters. As a general observation, however, on the ministerial directions and the other aspects of the An Bord Pleanála transitional arrangements that may impact on the terms and conditions of staff, I wish to make the Minister of State aware that the trade union was very unhappy that its employer and, in its view, the Department had not engaged with it regarding the potential workforce implications of these changes. As that it is not pertinent to the Bill, I am not asking the Minister of State to comment on that now, although if he wishes to comment, he may do so. In any aspect of the Bill where there are potential implications for the employees of An Bord Pleanála, I urge the Minister of State to ensure there is the maximum level of engagement with the staff. That is important.

As the Minister of State will know, those employees have worked very hard under difficult circumstances in recent years. They have borne the brunt of the unacceptable actions of a small number and they are quite sensitive, and rightly so, to these matters. There is a value, therefore, in both departmental officials, and through the Minister of State's offices directly to the board, ensuring that in respect of any changes we make by way of legislation that have the potential to impact on the working members of the board, there will be a dialogue with them as appropriate, separate from and outside of the legislative process, in parallel rather than at the end. They are rightly quite sore at what they see as a lot of potential change in which they have not been involved in any discussion of.