John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)

I know. She will know how difficult and stressful it can be. In the Celtic tiger years, apparently all the hotels were full and the staff had to work the longest hours and the hardest. This lady said she has to clean so many rooms in her eight or ten hour shift. She may work Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Sunday. She described the work as back-breaking and that when she goes home, she is not in a position to do much more cleaning or otherwise because of how hard this work is. I do not believe the Minister has grasped that many people do not realise this change is about to happen. This lady was absolutely appalled to think she will have to work for another year doing this type of work. That is the point I made earlier.

I accept the Minister has been dealt a bad hand - I used that expression on a number of occasions - by the crowd in front of me and that we must find money somewhere. The Labour Party election manifesto referred to making people's quality of life better, dignity in living and a better way forward. I congratulated the Minister when she was in opposition on how she stood up for those less well off in society. I appeal to her to take into consideration this lady about whom I spoke, labourers on building sites about whom Deputy Higgins spoke and small farmers who go out at 5 a.m. and do back-breaking work until sunset. Will she take into consideration the many thousands of these people? She cannot seriously say these people want to work one extra hour, not to mention one extra year.

I do not know how the system works in the Dáil because I am new to it but surely the Minister who is a member of the Labour Party and who supports quality of life, dignity in living and a better way forward for working people does not believe this is a better way forward for the many thousands of people who will have to work these crucifying hours and who do not want to do so.

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