Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

If ICTU responds, it is likely to state that 1,000 of the 11,000 want to move. Although I do not want to answer for ICTU, I think it would be reluctant to agree with anything that is compulsory. It is clear from its submission in the Labour Court case that it is prepared at least to think about voluntary decentralisation for those who wish to go. ICTU has stated that it will resist any attempt to move people on a compulsory basis. That is ICTU's position, but at least it is looking at this matter. It has not agreed yet to go into a process but if it does that, we can at least devise a scheme that would allow those who have put themselves on the CAF list to get out.

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