Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

In terms of the performance of Sustaining Progress and the negotiation of any new agreement, is the Government looking at the question of enforcement of standards in the workplace? I refer in particular to the labour inspectorate in light of the Gama Construction affair. I am advised there are 54 dog wardens but only 21 labour inspectors. Does the Taoiseach agree we have good reason to believe the Gama affair may be a one off in the nature of the particular scam but that the abuse of non-national workers, for example, and the lack of enforcement of their rights and entitlements under labour law is not, by any means, confined to Gama?

What is the Taoiseach's response to the advocacy, on a number of occasions, of the leader of SIPTU that it is time to go back to a separate Department of Labour? Is it the case that the Gama experience reinforces the claim he made that there is a need to concentrate on that area?

Is the Government rethinking the decision to cut off the core funding for the Community Workers Co-operative? According to independent experts, this organisation has contributed significantly by focusing on disadvantage and exclusion and as an advocate——

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