Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I was in the House earlier today when we discussed the role of social partnership in determining what this elected assembly might decide. I am flabbergasted by the content of the Minister of State's response. He effectively stated that since the social partners did not raise the issue we should not discuss it. We are two public holidays below the European average, which is not a maximum. We have nine public holidays while the European average is 11. Various historical reasons explain why countries have public holidays. In the context of family life balance in which the Department and Government are involved it would be desirable that over the course of the next five years, two public holidays are added. This would mean that across the 12 months of the year we would have a long weekend to which families could look forward when grandparents and grandchildren could meet up. We could reconstitute a family-friendly society in which people who must travel long journeys between one place and another have time to spend with each other.

I know the Minister in question will not be in a position to deliver this after the next election but this is Labour Party policy. I am sure the alliance between ourselves and Fine Gael will be such that I can now seek an assurance that when the Minister and his party are on these Opposition benches, they will not oppose an issue they are not prepared to implement while they still have the power.

See this speech in context