Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I believe the Taoiseach has explained the thinking behind the whole approach of not renewing fixed term contracts, and thousands of people are becoming unemployed as a consequence. To take an example, the contracts of five members of staff at my local recycling centre are coming to an end. There is a great amount of community support for the retention of these staff and they were invigorated in their campaign to renew their contracts when they received a letter signed by the Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen. In the letter, the Taoiseach writes that the council has been asked to depart from its initial plans and to renew the contracts of the existing temporary staff in Bray Recycling Centre. It concludes: "I hope that with the support of people like yourself, that a positive outcome may emerge from the current review of the council's plans." It ends, "With best wishes, Yours sincerely, Brian Cowen".

The staff got great heart from the Taoiseach's letter but it seems to me there is some ambiguity or confusion now because his Department does not seem to be clear about what is happening. The letter seems to me to be very clear to the effect that the Taoiseach is ensuring that the council will review its plans to hold retain these staff. Will the Taoiseach explain precisely his position regarding the five members of staff that he has written about and who have received this letter, consequent to a deputation from my town of Bray that met him? They attended his clinic and he wrote the letter to Mr. Damien Meaney on 29 April. When it was presented to the members of the staff they were enormously heartened because it was clear to them that the Taoiseach was saying in his letter that a review was being called for by the council and that it should, in effect, back-track on its initial plans not to renew the contracts.

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