Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I listened with some care to the Minister's speech. If Article 91 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which concerns the requirement to have a direct connection between the ship and the state, does not apply in this case, why did the Minister tell the House that the Attorney General is seeking information from Irish Ferries about that connection? Either they are seeking it in a sham way to fool the workers or the Labour Party analysis, which the party leader and I put to the House earlier, is correct, namely, Article 91 does apply, there must be a connection between the vessel and the flag and we can oppose the reflagging.

If the Government can take unilateral action to safeguard social welfare payments, which at the end of the day involve money, and take its chances subsequently with a determination in the European Court——

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