Mr. Owen Reidy:

I appreciate the Deputy's positive comments towards the trade union movement. Notwithstanding that the ESRI has identified a 30% differential between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, in this State 18% of workers are still on low pay, which is more than many other countries in Europe with which we would compare ourselves. We have a low-pay problem in the Republic of Ireland; the situation is just exacerbated in Northern Ireland.

Regarding the cross-community issue, there are people on picket lines today who vote for Sinn Féin, the DUP and everything in between, but the one thing that unites them is that they want a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. We are very sensitive to and in tune with the fact that we represent people who are British, Northern Irish, Irish, a bit of all three, some of both and, crucially, international workers. If I may say so, I believe the trade union movement is quite unique on the island of Ireland in having that kind of breadth of inclusivity and it is something we want to protect.

There are a few things we would like to see. The adequate minimum wages directive is really more about collective bargaining. It is a very radical and progressive directive from Europe. It is probably the most progressive instrument, under Commissioner Schmit, to come in the last 20 years. Of course, it was fought for right across the European Union; it was not handed to us by Brussels. Gerry McCormack and I are due to meet the Minister, Deputy Coveney, later. The crucial issue is the Irish Government should not take a light-touch approach to its transposition and that it is implemented properly because the ambition there is to increase collective bargaining.

We know from academic studies in UCD that the demand and the desire of people to be in a union is very high. However, still to this day there is a constitutional institutional impediment in Ireland that if a worker wants to be in the union, it is in the gift of the employer. We need to change that balance and this directive can do that. What would we like to see? I see that Stephen Farry, MP, is online. He was the last progressive Minister in Northern Ireland who dealt with employment rights. Since then, no one has been interested. Since then, many of the Ministers for the economy would not even engage with us. That is tragic stuff; it is dysfunctional. We need proper social dialogue north of the Border where there is engagement with the trade union movement in a meaningful way and an employment Bill. Because employment rights are devolved, it can take the best elements of that directive to make sure the boat rises for workers in Northern Ireland. The current Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party Government needs to seriously implement the directive on adequate minimum wages in the South. The way to deal with poverty is more collective bargaining for those who want it.

A study by the UCD academics Professor John Geary and Dr. Maria Belizón, entitled Union Voice in Ireland, found that 44% of workers in the Republic of Ireland who are not in a union wanted to be in a union. Crucially it found that 67% of 16- to 24-year-olds not in a union wanted to be in a union. We do not want conscripts; we want volunteers. The State legislative framework needs to change in order that those people who want to be in a union can be in one. If that happens, we can improve everybody's boat.