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

As I said earlier, I am a member of the Communications Workers Union, which opposes the liberalisation of the postal market and, in particular, the third postal directive. I am sure the point that one shoe size does not fit all has been made to the Minister on many occasions in recent months. He may have made a similar argument when he was on this side of the fence not so long ago. This EU regulation might suit bigger countries like Germany and France, but it does not fit the needs of the economy of a small state like Ireland, where 40% of the people live in rural communities.

It has already been mentioned tonight that many postal workers were encouraged by their union to vote for the Labour Party in order to protect their jobs, conditions and pay. We know what the outcome has been for many workers in Eircom and what some workers in Bord Gáis Éireann and the ESB are facing. While these jobs might not always have been well paid, at least the companies in question were strong. Postmen and postwomen are not well paid, but at least they have a job with a pension at the end of it. The Celtic tiger passed the average postal worker by. People in other industries were well paid but the pay increases of postal workers were limited by the partnership system. They did not even get some of the pay increases due to them in more recent years. Post office workers will be disappointed when they see how the Labour Party is pushing this measure through.

I will support amendment No. 5, in the name of Deputy Ferris. If that is not carried, I will support the amendment that seeks to extend to 20 years An Post's period as a European postal service provider. I will leave it at that. I just wanted to make those points.

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