Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Does the Taoiseach recognise that the social partnership process is falling asunder? Does he realise there can be no meaning or future for it if the management of Irish Ferries gets away with dumping Irish-based workers and hiring vulnerable people who will be exploited through lower wages and poorer conditions? Is he aware that Irish workers in the public and private sectors are deeply concerned at the development and that they express that concern daily? The Taoiseach has condemned the Irish Ferries management, but what will his Government do about it?

Is he aware that a draft EU directive on ferry services was proposed by the European Commission but withdrawn in August 2004 because agreement could not be reached on the final text at the Council of Ministers? To his credit, a Fianna Fáil MEP, Mr. Liam Aylward, asked the Commission if it intended again to propose a directive on staffing conditions for ferry services operating not only between EU member states but linking such states with other destinations. Does Mr. Aylward's question reflect Government policy, and will the Government support and lobby for the reintroduction of such a draft directive so that social dumping on ferries and the setting of the lowest labour standards in order to exploit workers further can be combatted and ended?

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