Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In 1992, the Labour Relations Commission produced a code of practice to deal with disputes in essential services. Today, we are told that ten operations have been cancelled in Tralee General Hospital because of a dispute involving electricians. There has also been an announcement by the flagship company, Waterford Crystal, to move 500 jobs abroad. In other areas, particularly in the health service, disputes involving essential services now occur. In view of the fact that nothing has been done since the code of practice was produced and adopted in 1992, is it the Government's intention to introduce legislation based on the code of conduct for the provision of essential services with a view to moving the matter forward and arriving at a position in which such disputes can be prevented or dealt with in a more cohesive and coherent fashion?

See this speech in context