Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister is ignoring the issue. Nothing he said addressed it. He has not suggested meeting SIPTU, for example, in respect of FÁS, although I read in the local newspapers that the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, stated he would love to meet SIPTU to deal with FÁS. There is nothing on the table for FÁS workers in this industrial dispute. In any industrial dispute there must be some offer from the other side so meaningful discussions can take place, but there is nothing on the table from the Minister's side.

Will the Minister agree to park the provocative system of promotion under these rules that are deemed inappropriate by the Labour Court and will he, as the political head of this decentralisation process, sit down with the representatives of all the State agencies and trash out something that is workable for them all? What is happening now is unacceptable. The Minister is forcing people to move to strike action simply because the Government has not thought through what it has to offer to them.

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