Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

About 100 flights in and out of Ireland have been cancelled this afternoon as a result of industrial action taken by air traffic controllers. Spokespersons for both the Irish Aviation Authority and the trade union concerned were on television last night and they effectively said that this was going to escalate. One spokesperson stated that more air traffic controllers were likely to be suspended, while the other warned that there would be more industrial action as a consequence. Whatever the issues in dispute, what is happening is disproportionate in terms of disruption to the travelling public and the country's reputation.

If this type of thing had happened at any time over the past 20 years, there would have been a mechanism for dealing with it under the social partnership process. However, as a result of the Government ending the social partnership process before Christmas, there is no longer a mechanism for dealing with this kind of dispute and for the national implementation body to intervene and knock heads together. What arrangements are being made for the Minister for Transport to report to the House on what is happening? What efforts is the Taoiseach making to bring that dispute to an end and ensure that people are able to travel?

When will the commencement order be made to give effect to the cutting of pay, which was legislated for and passed by the Oireachtas - against the wishes of the Labour Party - before Christmas?

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