Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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I am satisfied we can address those sometimes competing demands. I appreciate where the Senator is coming from and understand where he sits on this. Some have argued that the re-introduction of wage-setting mechanisms is somehow anti-competitive, but this is about standards also. It is about standards of training and the retention of workers. There has always been a premium for skilled workers, particularly across the construction sector which formerly had the REA and ERO arrangements with which people are most familiar. We have tried to strike a balance on the competitiveness of industry across the former REA areas. We are going through a draft Bill and cannot anticipate which sectors of the economy will engage in this process, but we are very much of the view that we must re-establish this mechanism to ensure we respect the competitive nature of business while ensuring that rates of pay apply over and above the rate of the national minimum wage where people's skills insist on that.

It is a balancing act, but it is important to reintroduce a system such as this to ensure standards across the industry. It is about much more than pay because it also involves terms and conditions, as well as standards and training. I am satisfied that we are on the right path towardsd balancing these interests.