Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

There are a number of issues in these questions which were tabled prior to the conclusion of the discussions with the public service trade unions. The first issue is the agreement negotiated between the Government and the public service trade unions and which is now the subject of a ballot. I note that the president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has appealed to politicians in all parties to refrain from commenting on the proposed Croke Park agreement in order to allow trade union members time to focus on the intrinsic merit or otherwise of the proposals during the balloting period. I agree with that position. The danger of politicians commenting on it is the danger of hairs being raised, which is quite unhelpful in the balloting process.

Where stands the wider social partnership agreement now? We had two agreements in place, namely, the Towards 2016 agreement and the Towards 2016 review and transitional agreement. Are those agreements now over? Are they still alive? My understanding is that IBEC has withdrawn from the process, so I wonder if there is a social partnership agreement that governs the wider industrial relations scene.

Is the Government still committed to introducing the various Bills in respect of employment rights and compliance? There were some suggestions in a newspaper report at the weekend that these are no longer a priority for the Government. What is the position on the national minimum wage? That had been on the agenda for the last full meeting between the social partners. It is now over a year since the Labour Court was asked to review the national minimum wage. When does the Taoiseach expect to get a determination from the Labour Court about it and can he give a commitment that the Government will not reduce it?

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