Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

I welcome the intervention of the Labour Relations Commission and I wish it well in its efforts to get the trains back on track. The Minister must agree that over the years CIE and Iarnród Éireann have been in an industrial backwater with archaic management and working practices. Even though we had the modernisation of the rolling stock in recent years, some of these archaic practices still exist in management and work practices. Yesterday, when workers indicated they would return to work they had to sign up or not be allowed back. Did the Minister ask whether anybody realised this was akin to throwing petrol on a simmering labour relations problem? Did anybody ask whether it was inevitable the travelling public would be victims again because of a management decision?

I condemn wildcat strikes and unofficial strikes. However, as the Minister stated it takes two to tango. The very act of asking people to sign on a dotted line yesterday inflamed the situation and made it worse. I agree the Minister cannot get involved directly in talks between management and workers. However, the question must be asked as to why this type of inflammatory act was allowed to impose on the travelling public yesterday.

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