Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle might know Tallaght. He will know that in the area close to where he visited this morning, there is a major issue concerning St. Joseph's special school in Balrothery. I put on record my support for that school, as well as my support for the west Tallaght resource centre. While I apologise for being parochial, having listened to some of the speeches, I know other colleagues have done the same.

I want to record my views in regard to the High Court challenge to which I referred earlier. As we know, it came from proposals made by the hotels to the Labour Court on the revised minimum rates of pay for workers, affecting an estimated 25,000 staff. This was an issue that crossed my desk in a big way and people in my constituency and in the Dublin region generally made contact with me on it.

At the end of 2007, workers' representatives voted in favour of the proposals while the employers' representatives opposed the proposals, leaving the casting vote to the chairman, who felt he was obliged to implement the proposals in 2008. On the same day, the Labour Court made an order to give effect to the proposals, with the resulting ERO due to come into effect on 16 November 2007. I understand that on hearing the ERO had been made, the Irish Hotels Federation immediately sought and was granted an interim injunction stopping the order from coming into force. The organisation, along with other members' organisations and a particular individual, were also granted leave to bring judicial review proceedings against the HJLC, the Labour Court, Ireland and the Attorney General.

It is fair to make the point in regard to balance in the implementation of the ability to pay clause. Two or three years ago, one could make points from these benches in regard to that issue, express one's attitude and everybody would be quite happy. Today, one must be very careful. I will not stand here and talk about, to quote a word often used by the leader of the Opposition, screwing employers at a time when we want them in all our communities to create jobs, to invest and to look after their employees. At the same time, we have to be open to the upset and concern that is often expressed by workers, not only in hotels but in many other jobs in many other industries, that it is difficult for them. While they are happy to be in a job, they do not like to be taunted with the suggestion that just because they are in a job, they should stay quiet.

I appreciate the latitude the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has allowed me. I wish the Minister of State well. This is important legislation and I look forward to supporting it.

See this speech in context