Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I did not want to become involved in a debate on partnership because I thought we would only deal with the amendment. However, now that the Minister of State has mentioned partnership, it is essential that I do so. I agree with his final comment that the unions and workers have given most in this partnership deal. Consider the Irish Ferries incident and the circumstances involving GAMA. Look beyond that to five Mayo residents in jail until recently over the Corrib gas line scandal. Is this what people signed up for when they subscribed to partnership, and could it be described as such? I am in favour of the concept of social partnership but I will not describe what is currently happening as partnership. There has been industrial peace on one side, as unions and workers have not entered into strike action and they comply with every piece of madness that comes along. On the other side of the coin one can look at the people who would be represented by IBEC, the Irish Ferry sort of company. What is happening there, where workers are to be dumped on their ear to be replaced by "yellow pack" workers? Where is the sanction to deal with that issue?

I am happy to debate social partnership at any stage with the Minister of State, but we should talk of realistic partnership and not the model that is currently there. I do not like the model that exists. Workers and unions have been stripped completely of all their powers to secure fair treatment for their workers. On the other hand, IBEC and employers tread over everybody. The words "stand idly by" come to mind with regard to the Government, as I can think of another context when those words were used. The Government managed to stand idly by on that occasion also, with much human, social and economic cost. I hope the Government does not stand idly by on this occasion also.

With regard to the amendment itself, Ireland compares badly with other EU states on the issue of length of leave and statutory maternity benefit. This amendment would go some way to bringing the country on the radar. I hope the Minister of State will reconsider, although I do not expect he will given his comments so far.

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