Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

There are no difficulties between the parties in Government. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, is dealing with his responsibilities and will bring forth legislation in due course. As regards the temporary agency workers directive, transposition of the directive is the responsibility of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Burton, who is actively seeking to ensure it is transposed in a manner that respects the employment rights of agency workers while safeguarding the labour market flexibility which Ireland must maintain so as to maximise opportunity and not put us at a competitive disadvantage. This matter was discussed with the trade unions. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, has contacted ICTU and IBEC with a view to their exploring the possibility of agreement being reached between the national social partners on the derogation available under the EU directive, which would allow member states to fix the qualifying period before which equal treatment of pay and employment conditions would apply. I understand that ICTU has strong reservations and sees no reason to set aside the rights of agency workers to allow for a short qualifying period as, in its view, Government has not to date delivered on issues that are close to Congress, including legislation on the joint labour committee system and collective bargaining.

I have appealed to Congress, in the interests of the general good and so as to not in any way put in jeopardy the jobs agenda, to set aside its reservations and see its way to agreeing a 12 week derogation period under the directive, at least for an initial period of 18-24 months, after which progress made on the issues of importance to Congress could be reviewed. The Deputy will be aware that it is hugely important that Ireland can at least avail of the same 12 week derogation period as will apply in the UK. Otherwise we face losing serious competitive advantage on a number of fronts relative to our closest trading partner. These include being a more expensive place in which to do business from the point of view of employing agency workers, a drop in our attractiveness in terms of the score card for securing new foreign direct investment projects in that we would lose points in terms of labour market flexibility that is vital in terms of retaining the multinational sector and a negative impact on the ability of our indigenous companies to grow exports and employment if the possibility of hiring agency workers, even for short-term contracts to meet seasonal needs or production peaks, is effectively costed out of existence. They are the issues we discussed regarding the directive in respect of which the Minister, Deputy Bruton, will shortly bring forth legislation.

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