Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

No one likes to see people out on strike. The machinery of the State has been well tried over many years in difficult circumstances, not least of which was the Vita Cortex incident to which Deputy Adams referred.

When a dispute arises the facilities of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation are available to assist in the resolution of the dispute.

Deputy Adams will be aware that last July the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, announced his intention to reform the State's industrial relations machinery and to replace the five existing employment rights bodies with two bodies. One body will be responsible for dealing with first instance complaints and the other will deal with appeals. He has undertaken two public consultation processes on the matter and this month he intends to seek Government approval on drafting the workplace relations Bill. It is the intention to have the Bill enacted in the autumn and the new system up and running by the beginning of next year.

It is most unfortunate to hear about the case which the Deputy mentioned and the period of time that the workers have been on strike. I do not know the details of the case but the machinery of industrial relations and the co-operation of the Department in so far as the Minister is concerned are available at all times for attempting to resolve these difficulties, whatever the nature of the actual problem.

I will meet the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the public service unions tomorrow regarding the report on the Croke Park agreement. This issue will obviously be referred to in the context of those discussions.

See this speech in context