Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Does the Taoiseach recall that two of the key issues addressed at the ICTU conference in July were the vital concerns of all Irish workers of trade union recognition and the ongoing disgraceful abuse of agency workers by employers?

When will the Government bring in legislation to make it mandatory on employers to recognise trade union activities within their respective work places? How does the Taoiseach respond to the situation whereby workers who are seeking to organise trade union activity in their respective work places face dismissal? How does he respond to the situation that employers in this State are making it a condition of employment that employees, or prospective employees, do not involve themselves in trade union activity? How can we square those situations with the fact that Government recognises the trade union sector as a critical and important part of the social partnership process? What does the Taoiseach intend to do about this? When does he intend to bring in legislation to ensure that all employers properly recognise and accord due recognition to trade unions and their respective representatives within all areas of employment?

On the second issue, the issue of agency workers, is the Taoiseach aware that this State, Britain and Hungary are the only three states within the European Union that have not legislated to ensure that agency workers are treated in exactly the same way as directly employed labour? Is he aware that we have a situation here where directly employed workers and agency engaged employees are working side by side doing exactly the same work but receiving two very different levels of pay for their work and, indeed, in regard to the latter category, those employed through the agencies are actually in poorer working conditions in real terms? What does the Taoiseach propose to do about this inequality that is perpetuated, sadly, by Irish employers and others who have established here over the years? Does the Taoiseach agree that it is patently in the interest of all workers, those who are directly employed and those who are agency engaged, that all workers are treated equally in terms of pay for work done and conditions of employment, and that the latter category applies to both Irish workers and non-national workers within the agency sector? Does he agree that it is hugely important in the interest of all and a fair return for labour that each are treated exactly the same?

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