Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

On the issue of the protection of employment standards, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions made it clear since last summer that in the next talks, it wanted it to be the major issue. At meetings with it in September and in writing to it in October, I gave a commitment that we would accept that. In a rapidly changing labour market, the issue brings with it new challenges in the area of maintaining and developing employment standards. The Government's commitment to meeting these challenges is equally clear. I have repeatedly made explicit the Government's intention to engage fully and effectively in the process of devising policies and measures which would protect employment standards and prevent a so-called race to the bottom. I have made this commitment in letters to the social partners and I stated it in my speech to them last July and again at public meetings in September and October and at the plenary last week.

We are committed to bringing about greater productivity and enhanced competitiveness based on innovation in the workplace through new work practices, new skills, new technologies and new products and services. We have stated clearly that it is neither acceptable nor sustainable to attempt to build a competitive advantage based on poor wages, on casualisation of labour, on low health and safety standards or other such practices. I have been very clear in my belief that the most effective way of engaging with these matters is through the partnership framework.

Last October I asked officials across Departments to bring together the various aspects of legislation in this regard so we would not have to wait for the talks process. They have carried out a comprehensive examination. We are looking at the ICTU-SIPTU document and at the Deputy's document, which I have read fully, to see how we can bring these issues forward. I do not have a fixed view on how this should be done. I have not thought about whether it should be done by the Health and Safety Authority or a new agency or whether legislation is needed. I am not saying I am against any particular proposal but I have been looking at how we can comprehensively deal with the issues highlighted.

I have engaged with the employers' side as well so that whatever we do is realistic. As the Deputy knows, some people on the employers' side will say any move on this will close off flexibility. We were aware of the danger in the autumn of people starting an unnecessary campaign on some of these issues but we have moved to a more realistic assessment. In a changed labour market and because of the voluntaristic nature of our industrial relations, we cannot leave things as they are. I think I have convinced both sides that is the right thing to do.

We are now into the detail. All the issues the Deputy mentioned and many more have been put on the table by the trade union movement. We will now systematically go through them. As the Deputy knows, the trade unions have asked that this be the first strand of talks, so we will deal with this before we address any pay issues. This is the priority of the talks. The other pillars will go ahead with their work but this will be the key issue in the employer-union pillar before we turn to pay issues.

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