John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)

I appreciate the Minister of State's honesty and his not reading the extended response he was asked to read to me. Both he and I understand the circumstances at hand. No laws have been broken, which we respect. Every i has been dotted and every t crossed but a sense of natural justice has gone completely out the window. This issue needs to be monitored. Dublin Airport is a significant employer in north Dublin; it is one of the largest. There are many in the neighbourhood who rely on income from it. The staff to whom I refer have worked most unsociable hours so we can get aeroplanes when we want to get them. Essentially, they have been told through a legitimate process that they can work for the bar but at half the pay they received previously. This matter needs to be addressed.

I understand we are constrained by the legislation and that there are processes to deal with this matter. However, no law has been broken. I ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who has responsibility for the Dublin Airport Authority, and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, to raise this matter with the Dublin Airport Authority in order that it will, at least, acknowledge that there is a system in the airport, albeit a very transparent one, that has resulted in a very unfavourable outcome for workers who have given years of service, ten in some cases. To be told one's pay is to be reduced from €17 to €9.60 is just not fair, especially when one has a family.

I am very sensitive to the fact there are ongoing discussions. That said, that seven out of the ten workers who were working for the company in question before the transfer did not pass the test to do pretty much the same job is telling. Coincidentally, the staff happened to be at the higher end of the pay scale before the transfer. This says something about the morality of the company. It is using the legislation in place as a type of smokescreen. While it has broken no laws, it has used the legislation to create a sense that it has made a fair decision.

As far as I know, these jobs for which staff were told to reapply were also advertised in the public domain, quoting that no experience was necessary. There is something not right.

I reiterate that I respect the Minister of State's response. I appreciate that he did not read out the response given to him.

I urge the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, who has responsibility for the DAA, to raise this directly with the DAA because this may open the valve for what could become a €9.60 job for everybody who works in the airport in the foreseeable future.

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