Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

It is often said that we in Ireland live in an open economy and that ours is among the most open trading economies in the world. In many ways we have benefited from this because we have enjoyed large revenues and much success as a result of companies establishing operations here. The difficulty and risk of operating in such an open market is that we are subject to the vagaries of international capitalism moving from one location to another.

In this case, the damning issue is that we are not speaking of a company based elsewhere. Irish Ferries is not based in the United States, nor is it making a decision to leave Ireland for another country because of a marginal gain in its bottom line. This company's directors, board and shareholders are predominantly based in this country. A clear message should go out tonight to the directors and management of this company. The actions they have taken and the methods they have chosen, along with the motives and morals exhibited, are shameful. The message should be that every individual party and politician in this House agrees that the company's behaviour is shameful.

The behaviour to which I refer threatens not only the future success of the company and the jobs of its current employees but also the character and development of the economy, given that it operates in an open and obvious way. Those directors, who are human beings, are no doubt standing this week at some social function or other, looking down at well-pressed trousers and tidy shoes, but they should not raise their heads and should not be able to carry on as if what they have done is a normal part of business activity, nor should they think that it is always about the bottom line. If we exist in such an open economy in a competitive world, that culture can only lead to a loss of all standards and instances where the bottom line replaces any other motive or measure for what is done or not. I say directly to the company directors and the Minister that such a culture is not acceptable.

There has been ineptitude on the part of the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil in terms of taking action in respect of this matter. As Deputy Broughan stated, there was a repeated failure to introduce or support relevant European legislation that could offer protection. The bigger issue is that, for the past eight years under this Government, there has been a two-tier society which encourages enterprise but which does so in the context that nothing else matters. This message directed at employers and directors has led to Irish Ferries believing that its actions are acceptable and accepted practice in modern Ireland. Its inaction and inability to see the seriousness of this issue is a problem and will be a legacy of this Government.

I agree with previous speakers in that what the Minister has presented tonight is another case that nothing can be done and that it is up to the Labour Relations Commission or other industrial authorities. That is not acceptable. We expect the Minister to investigate what is possible in the European arena or through domestic legislation. I do not, and neither should the House, accept that the simple measure of moving to a flag of convenience in Cyprus means that vessels that are effectively owned here, that enter and leave Irish ports every day and that depend on Irish services and port facilities to operate can function in a manner which has nothing to do with Cyprus and everything to do with Ireland. I refuse to accept that European legislation and regulations mean that, in these circumstances, we can do nothing and are dependent on what the country of the flag of convenience stipulates or does.

I have been given a list of the directors of Irish Ferries. These are the chairman, Mr. McGuckian, Mr. Peter Crowley, Mr. Bernard Somers, Mr. Rothwell, Mr. O'Dea and Mr. Kelly. They have questions to answer in terms of what is emanating from this debate. That applies, in particular, to the directors of the company who are setting this long-term strategy. We should respond to today's issue with one voice. The actions of the directors and the means by which they are operating are shameful, disgraceful and unacceptable. The company should operate successfully but on the basis of certain minimum wage and other conditions set by the Legislature. It is not acceptable for a company to attempt to ride roughshod over this Government and this Legislature, which sets the standards which should apply in this country.

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