Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

It is clear from the Taoiseach's comments that the issue of protection of employment standards has the talks bogged down. The talks were to conclude by St. Patrick's Day but now the Taoiseach says they will not conclude by Easter. Outside of more labour inspectors in whatever agency they might be organised, what is being contemplated and why is the issue proving so difficult to resolve? Only a few months ago the Labour Party published a document and a large number of eminent persons, such as former EU Commissioners, archbishops, academics and a number of others, were recruited to say there is no displacement. Clearly, we have at last reached the stage where we acknowledge there is displacement, although not of the eminent personages who write about it.

Other than the straightforward invigilation of labour standards, what measures are likely to be taken? Are there tensions between public sector and private sector representatives? Can the Taoiseach brief the House on the up-to-date dow in terms of anticipating a new benchmarking exercise? What is the effect of the apparent commitment on the part of the Irish Nurses Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association to proceed in any event with their own settlement? In respect of the exclusion of the MANDATE trade union, which is a significant union numerically, can the interests of a union such as MANDATE, with workers in modestly paid employment in the private sector, be encompassed in the wider discussions in a fashion that is reasonably fair to these workers?

If the talks progress to a pay settlement, is the settlement not likely to last for longer than 18 months? Is that likely to be the duration in the discussions? There was a recommendation in the Labour Party paper that there should be proofing of public contracts for compliance with labour conditions. Is there any good reason why, whether it involves a local authority, State company or the State directly, the award of a public contract cannot be proofed for compliance with good labour standards and so obviate some of the phenomena we have seen recently?

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