Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

We are getting to the nub of the issue. There is a gaping chasm in the Minister's argument to the effect that the relevant issues are being addressed in the legislation. This is a substantial loophole. It is the case that agencies have quite large numbers of staff. A great many questions are asked with regard to how - in comparison with Aer Lingus and its large workforce - Ryanair can do so much with so few workers. The reason is that companies such as Ryanair maintain hardly any staff as direct employees and that they instead rely on agencies and agency workers. The agencies to which I refer charge massive sums in respect of training, etc. As a result of the fact that the derogation will remain in place, there is nothing in the legislation which will prevent the current position from continuing to obtain. We are paying lip service to both the directive and the concept of equality. In addition, we are giving a nod and a wink to rogue employers in respect of the gaping hole into which they can jump to avoid ensuring equality and addressing the very issues which the legislation was designed to deal with in the first instance. The large numbers of people who are carried, so to speak, by agencies would vindicate my words in this regard.

See this speech in context