Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Perhaps the Government will set aside time in the House next week for discussion on the directive so Members can articulate their views on it and the social partners can hear what a broad representative sample of the House have to say on it and its impact on jobs and unemployment. A criticism which the Taoiseach would have levelled when on this side of the House, with some validity, was that the social partnership process excluded parliamentarians and politicians from influencing in a broader way the outcomes of that social dialogue.

The Government has entered into a new phase of social dialogue. The Taoiseach has confirmed that he has had discussions with ICTU with a view to persuading it to agree to a derogation of 12 weeks. Earliest indications from Great Britain are that implementation of the directive there has impacted negatively on jobs. In other words, 25% fewer jobs than prior to implementation of the directive are now available to agency workers. I believe it has incredible implications for foreign direct investment-----

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