Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I listened to the Tánaiste this morning speaking about the desire for light regulation in recent years whereas now we are looking for enforced regulation. She was perhaps inadvertently referring exclusively to financial regulation. The matter about which many complain is the incomprehensibility of labour law legislation on the Statute Book. The Government promised to bring forward a consolidation Bill to remove the inherent contradictions in labour law. What progress has been made with that Bill?

A factor in the defeat of the first Lisbon treaty referendum was the perception that there had been an erosion of workers' rights, particularly the right to negotiate through a trade union. This was not imposed from Brussels, but it is a matter of domestic concern following a court judgment. We have six months before the probable date of a referendum; therefore, the Government cannot blame anyone but itself if it cannot clear up this mess. When will we see the legislation arising from these judgments and when will it be enacted? Can I receive an assurance that if it is not done before Easter, it will certainly be done before June?

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