Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

People who sign up on a voluntary basis to agreements, particularly partnership agreements, should honour them. Both sides have accepted there is a need for extra staff. There is a difficulty with recruiting due to the time it takes to recruit people. That process has commenced and I would encourage it to be completed as quickly as possible. I do not agree with a policy of unlimited overtime. It is not being imposed. It is important people honour their commitments.

The process the Deputy talked about regarding this dispute that has being going on for the past 12 months went on for part of 2006 and finished at the end of December 2007. On 16 January 2008 unofficial action commenced without warning and that should not happen. It happened on the basis of new issues emerging that were not part of the previous dispute. We talk consistently about social partnership and I am supportive of the concept. It takes two to tango, or three or four in the case of social partnership, and I would not condone anybody on any side going outside the social partnership to put their case forward.

There is no question of safety standards being breached through the use of overtime in the IAA. Overtime is not compulsory and is done within safety guidelines and labour law. Although the IAA accepts it must move forward and provide extra air traffic controllers, it is adequately staffed based on agreed work practices. It has also agreed that more people need to come in so the use of overtime would be reduced. The sooner people begin to talk in the Labour Court to iron out some of the other difficulties that have arisen, the better. Putting consumers through the mental torment the Deputy mentioned over the next week as to whether they will be able to take their flights next Thursday is unnecessary and should not happen. The possible damage to the economy and the reputation of the country the Deputy outlined is out of proportion to the issues that need to be resolved, particularly the manner in which people are trying to resolve them.

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