Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy obviously did not hear my reply. I will repeat the key sentence. "We do not want to see people building competitive advantage based on poor wages, casualisation of labour, low health and safety standards or other poor compliance practices." I have made it clear here on several recent occasions that we do not want to see a reduction in living standards. We see the economic development of the country based on securing competitive advantage, upskilling of our employment force, greater qualifications, development of new products and services and greater innovation etc. That is our future. The future is not to be found in policies that would reduce living standards, wages, pay and conditions. This side of the House has, historically, always been to the fore in establishing and asserting workers' rights. We were the architects of social partnership in the country.

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