Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

I suppose it is my turn now to be attacked by the Minister; he is in good form today.

I am conscious that the State has a role in regard to the company as it still has a substantial shareholding in it. The State agreed with all the parties involved on the way forward for the privatisation of the company four months ago and it did so in the full knowledge of how matters would proceed. Part of the agreement reached at that time was that if any changes were to be made, there would be consultation and agreement on them, but clearly that has not happened.

The unions and workers involved are talking in terms of the normal existing labour relations mechanisms. They have made four offers at this stage to go down the path of talks with the Labour Relations Commission but management has refused to do that. Does the Minister consider he has a role in calling on the management to use the normal labour relations mechanisms? Does he agree there is a responsibility on the State to become involved, as the State has an interest in this company? However, it is also in the interests of the State that a dispute is avoided by the parties involved using the labour relations mechanisms in place.

I ask the Minister to make a statement urging the parties involved to do down that road. It has been suggested by the unions. The Government, the Minister and the Taoiseach were involved in the negotiations leading up to the privatisation of the company and, therefore, they have responsibility in this matter given that part of that agreement provided that in the event of proposed changes in work practices and so on, they would be made on the basis of consultation and agreement. It is clear that the management has not engaged in consultation or sought agreement on them. It seems to be going ahead with the proposed changes. It went ahead with the introduction of inferior contracts for new workers and it is now talking of going ahead on 1 March with the introduction of inferior contracts for existing workers.

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