Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

This difficulty between the employers has been going on for some time and has been dragged through judicial review and through the High Court and the Labour Court. There was a hearing at the beginning of the year on whether the registered employment agreement should be removed or amended, which took some time. The Labour Court made its determination and the majority agreed that we had to move on from several of the issues it raised.

It was clear following the discussion with National Implementation Body on Friday that people were too far apart, as the Labour Relations Commission had indicated. The mechanisms available then could not bring the two parties together. Sometimes strike action is inevitable. I do not wish to fuel public opinion on whether it is right or wrong. I agree that it is of grave concern to us all. We also agree, in recognition of the voluntary nature of our industrial relations mechanism, that it is a matter of people coming together.

We will get through this impasse by resolution rather than diktat. Although the labour relations mechanisms have not so far been able to resolve it we can reinstigate them and bring the parties together. This will be a matter for both parties who will have to come together and reach agreement. Any escalation of this will be detrimental and it will be more difficult to pull back. We must avoid an escalation and would like to see a resolution.

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