Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Is it the intention of the Government to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families? The other matter I wish to mention is one about which I have asked two parliamentary questions. Is it the Government's intention to legislate in the area of collective bargaining, given that the 1948 ILO convention establishes that right? The reply to one of my parliamentary questions was that it was a matter for social partnership, but in the other reply it was stated that the Government had in fact ratified the convention in 1955. Does the Government propose to clarify the issue of collective bargaining in terms of the ILO conventions of 1948 by way of legislation? The first question was related to the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The Tánaiste's predecessors suggested the Government did not intend to recognise it, yet it is the only way to establish a basis that would assure all workers in the State equality and protection of their rights.

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