Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

The Independent Group in this House will always stand with working people, the weaker sections of society and for international solidarity with our immigrant workers. Before going into the details of the motion, I want to set down a few clear markers in the debate. Racism, like sectarianism, will never be tolerated in this debate. Those attempting to frighten our citizens with deliberate or populous ill-thought out views should be challenged. I am challenging them in this debate, regardless of who they are. Inequality, racism and low pay should never be tolerated in a wealthy country like Ireland. That is my bottom line whether one is a media person, a politician or a trade union official or when I hear a senior political figure, the Leader in the Seanad, using old colonial phrases like "working like blacks", a Labour Party leader speaking in a crude manner about 40 million or so Poles, a scriptwriter in "Fair City" using the phrase "Mongol" to describe a person with Down's syndrome or a serious newspaper like The Irish Times misrepresenting a report on educational disadvantage by using a misleading headline like "Lone parents' pupils read less well" when it was poor pupils who read less well.

I will challenge people in this House, no matter how unpopular it is. It is not just a matter of political correctness but a matter of decency and treating all people, creeds and races with respect and equality. These are the core issues in the debate and cheap and exploited labour should never be tolerated in Ireland or in any country. The way forward is for all of us to ensure that workers, particularly immigrant workers, are members of a trade union. So many are not and are open to abuse. I would like to challenge employers on this issue and raise the issue of social partnership because the services directive is being used by some employers to undermine established rates of pay and safe and reasonable working conditions negotiated by workers through their trades union.

Speaking of workers and trades union, I raise the case of Ms Joanne Delaney, a trade union member, who has been victimised in this country. An employee of Dunnes Stores in the Ashleaf Centre in Crumlin in Dublin, she has been sacked by the supermarket chain for wearing her union badge in the workplace. Ms Delaney, a shop steward at the store, recently received an indefinite suspension from work for wearing a badge identifying her as a member of MANDATE, the union which represents more than 40,000 workers in the retail sector and bar trade, including staff at Dunnes Stores. Joanne received a letter on 29 November 2005 informing her that she had been dismissed by the company.

Dunnes Stores has accused her of not complying with company policy on wearing her union badge on her uniform. The MANDATE member was suspended by a manager at the store on 18 October for refusing to remove the MANDATE trade union badge from her uniform. The suspended member was advised to attend a disciplinary meeting at 6 p.m. on Friday, 21 October. However, the meeting was cancelled owing to the fact that she was accompanied by her union representative. The company has continually denied her the right to be represented by a trade union official at meetings with management.

I welcome Joanne to the Dáil and ask the Minister to intervene in the matter. Joanne and the staff of MANDATE have our total support. The Independent Deputies in this House are behind them and we will highlight the issue both in the Dáil and other forums.

This motion is about the protection of workers' rights. It is about justice and equality for all workers. The motion, which is tabled by the Independent Deputies in this House, shows leadership on the racism issue. It is about building and embracing change with our citizens and putting their needs at the heart of society. I urge all Deputies to support the motion.

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