Michael Conaghan (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I welcome the Minister and his staff. It would be very difficult to overstate the significance of work. It bestows dignity on the individual, quite apart from wages, as a means of trying to satisfy the real needs of ordinary existence. It is, therefore, important that something as central as work in people's lives - their workplace arrangements - is not all in the hands of the employer. The unions have historically played a legendary role in trying to equalise the workplace relationship. The Minister of State's initiative is in this tradition. It is a further step in civilising the workplace and will be welcomed by many people. I commend the Minister of State on his foresight and general initiative in his Department.