Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)

Does the Minister agree that the austerity programme his Government is pursuing will continue to have a negative impact on jobs and industry? Will the Minister be straight with the House and the people that the reversal in policy on the national minimum wage is not a concession by the Government but it is linked integrally to the 250,000 people on the EROs? Will he make clear that it is part of the EU-IMF programme and the Government is being directed by the EU to do this? There should be a review to protect workers such as those who worked in Connolly Shoes, Dún Laoghaire, who were indiscriminately sacked after 38 years. This is an area in which regulations and protection of workers should be tightened up.

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