Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

I thank my colleague, Deputy Maloney, for granting me this time. As we speak, word is travelling outside this House that the Vita Cortex dispute which has lasted for 139 days is now coming to an end and that an agreement has been reached between the employer and the workers in that factory. A total of 32 workers have given 847 years service between them. An agreement has been reached which will be welcomed by this House and throughout the land. The Vita Cortex workers, through their campaign over 139 days captured the public imagination in this country and in doing so acted as an inspiration to a host of others. I congratulate them and commend them on what I hope will be a successful conclusion to a struggle that has gone on for months over the winter, including over the Christmas period. When many of us were eating our Christmas dinner those people were still sitting in a cold, icy factory. It is great to see that their perseverance has won out and that the fairness, respect and justice they sought now looks as if it will be handed to them.

Ann Egar, the SIPTU representative of the workers, said it had been an honour to represent them in the struggle. On behalf of this House I congratulate her, the workers and everyone else associated with the campaign. In the aftermath of this case questions must be asked by this House about how employers plead inability to pay and how the dispute unfolded and became such a fractious issue.

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