Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Minister has not answered my question as to what the Government has done, is doing or intends to do to address directly the debacle that is Irish Ferries today. All the points he made, fine though they are in their own place, will mean nothing to the excluded workforce, including, for instance, the Latvian worker who had the courage to appear on "Prime Time" to describe the conditions under which she works on the MV Normandy. She works for 12 hours each day, seven days per week with no holidays or days off. Are the Minister and his colleagues happy that a company which bears the name "Irish Ferries" imposes this type of work regime on its workforce?

As an aside, is the Minister aware that the so-called security company the management of Irish Ferries brought on board its vessels is a sub-group of Risk Management International, a company formed by former members of our Defence Forces? Real questions arise regarding the conduct of the security firm in question, many of whose members received their training as members of the Defence Forces. Should questions not arise about other Government contracts involving public moneys the company has at various locations? Surely its role is not one of bringing heavy-handedness to bear on the rights of ordinary Irish workers, as is the case in this instance. This is a serious matter and one which has a great deal of address among the wider public.

I ask again whether the Minister is prepared to use the opportunities the European Union must offer in having this matter addressed in the context of the EU and to build on the outcome in terms of best practice and standards applying to ferry and sea traffic internationally.

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