Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

This morning Mr. John Devlin, a representative of the SR Technics workers, invited political leaders, including the Tánaiste, to visit Dublin Airport, walk around its facilities, and get a first-hand handle on the options available. I am certainly very glad to accept the invitation. Does the Tánaiste intend to do so? As she indicated, there were three big beasts before the Joint Committee on Transport yesterday. None of them appeared to give an inch. Ministerial intervention is so important in such circumstances in order to knock heads together and secure the jobs available.

Arising from the reply the Taoiseach gave me yesterday when I asked him about his plans with regard to filling the vacancy in Government, I read in the newspapers this morning that he is apparently considering a wider Cabinet reshuffle. This might explain the nervous looks of some Members in the Government's Front Bench yesterday when I asked the question. One proposal being considered is the appointment of a Minister for public service reform. This is something the Labour Party proposed a year ago and if it is true, I will be glad to see it happen. If the Tánaiste knows the Taoiseach's thinking on these matters, she might let us know if this is being considered. Of course, if there is to be public service reform, there will have to be co-operation with public service staff, something that is absent at present. There has been a rolling and growing level of industrial action among public service staff since the Government threw their unions out of Government Buildings in early December and then cut their pay. What is being done by the Government to bring that dispute to a conclusion and have normal service restored in the public service?

Last week I raised the issue of the money Tesco and other multiples are trying to extract from Irish suppliers to put their goods on the supermarket shelves. What has the Tánaiste done about that since I asked her about it last week?

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