Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I believe that once we have a voluntary mechanism of industrial relations in this country, the industrial relations machinery should be used to the full. There is a best practice tradition in this country to the effect that the Labour Court's recommendations be respected, worked through and implemented. Whatever issues that might be arising that require further consideration should be dealt with in that context, so I would ask that best practice in industrial relations behaviour apply in this as in other cases.

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