Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

The issue is correctly deemed by the Bills Office to be before the House, so whether it is outside the scope intended by the Minister of State, we can use this vehicle to do the work. Accordingly, the first argument of convenience put forward by the Minister of State falls. The matter is properly before the House and can properly be inserted into the Bill, as the Ceann Comhairle and the Bills Office have determined.

The Minister of State says a voluntary code exists. We debated this on Committee Stage and I have re-read the proceedings. I am no wiser at the end of that debate regarding the simple question I proposed to the Minister of State, whether an individual has a right to be represented by a trade union in a dispute or a disciplinary situation, if the trade union is not recognised by the employer. The Minister of State talked of voluntarism, the code and the Employment Appeals Tribunal, and having regard to the code, but in two pages of interjections on Committee Stage, the basic question was not answered. If the question I put could be answered now we need not proceed further with it.

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