Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I agree with everything Deputy Lyons has said. Let us be frank and honest about it. The issue at hand here is one of corporate social responsibility, a term we bandy around from time to time and can use quite easily. If there is a transfer of undertakings here, as Deputy Lyons stated, it says something about the morality of the company. There is a strong sense here of an obligation on the part of SPP, where it has taken over a facility in what is, effectively, a State entity, to ensure the rights of the workers are vindicated or at least that there is a recognition of the experience of the existing staff who go into the new undertakings.

In this instance, though we recognise that no law has been broken, there is a certain corporate social responsibility. I hope that common sense will prevail and that the extensive machinery of the State in labour relations could be applied in this instance.

It is important that these issues are raised on the floor of this House also. It sends a signal back to these entities that these matters are being looked at by Government and that there is a consciousness in this House of the issues Deputy Lyons raises.

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