Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. Over the past 26 years the social and industrial partnership relationship has brought a huge dividend and we have had industrial peace around the table. Irrespective of the partnership's shortcomings, the long-term goal for the nation is to retain social partnership and ensure any agreements are negotiated. That is the right way to go forward politically. We must acknowledge the huge sacrifices that have been made by the public service. While there is an ongoing debate in the context of the public versus the private sector and the pros and cons of both sides, those who work in the public sector have made a huge contribution to Irish society.

When we speak about foreign direct investment, one of the first points made is that we have an educated young workforce available. Our education system, developed over the decades since the foundation of the State, has led us to a situation where we have a high standard of education for our young people. People who work in the education sector, school teachers, principals and those in the third level sector, have contributed and invested much of their life and work in creating an education system of which we can be proud. It is very easy to say one section of these workers is cleaning out the system and that there is another building it. However, when we look at the strengths of our system and society which have been developed over the years, we must acknowledge that the people working in the public service have contributed enormously.

Since the crash in 2008, people in the public sector have made sacrifices in the form of the pension levy and pay cuts. These people are good, conscientious citizens who work hard and believe it is their social responsibility to do what they can to ensure Irish society develops in a positive way and they are willing to make sacrifices to achieve this. There are always some who say the sector is willing to pay, but not us. However, by and large the public sector has contributed and made huge sacrifices. In the areas of innovation and expertise within the public sector and State services, such as in Forfás and training authorities, there has been ingenuity with regard to contributing to savings. This must be acknowledged.

We all remember the negotiations for Croke Park I and remember that some people behind the scenes were critical of those negotiations and agitated against them, but the deal worked and we tried to move forward with Croke Park II. I feel the failure of the negotiations had to do with the language used in handling them. All of society is vulnerable currently, and negotiations relating to pay cuts and conditions need to be framed in language that will bring people with us. Just as in 1987, when the first model for social partnership was introduced, an initiative that was also being developed elsewhere and which was introduced here successfully, it is vital the language used is moderate, considered and appropriate. The media always wants to find an angle on partnership, but that leads us to a tangent to which we do not want to take those working in State services.

In many instances, the morale of people working in State services is on the floor and what we need to be able to do is to bring those people with us, because they have the greater good of Irish society in their hearts and minds as they go to work each day. We must also be conscious of those people who work in our front line services. These people risk their lives for citizens on a daily basis and they must be recognised in a special way. However, the language that was being used in the context of "sweetheart deals", whether these deals were real or imaginary, inflamed the emotions of ordinary, decent public sector workers. Statements were being made with regard to what would be done in 2016 and elsewhere, rather than what would happen in the here and now.

I welcome the initiative to bring both sides together now under the auspices of the Labour Relations Council to see whether there is any middle ground or whether any initiative can be introduced in regard to partnership, because it is the only way forward. The only way forward is to have an agreed solution. We need industrial peace in the country. We face significant challenges throughout the country on a raft of issues and the last thing we need is for a disagreement to open up which could have been avoided if moderate language had been used, if consideration had been given to the people involved and if respect had been shown to those at the coal face, whether people in the public service from nine to five, those on weekend work, those working 24/7 or those in our health service, justice or school systems. All of these people deserve and need our respect because they do a hugely important job for the State.

I commend the motion drafted by Deputy Sean Fleming to the House. It is a considered and calm motion which highlights that we believe industrial peace is vital for well-being and security of the State.

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