Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Self-regulation is clearly not working in this region.

The Minister said it is up to the multiples and those who are buying the garments from Bangladesh. Has he met any of the multiples in Ireland about this? There is a common denominator in the collapse of the Rana Plaza building and the fire last night because many of the multiples in Ireland buy clothing from these factories.

The Government recently launched the Irish Aid policy. It makes a commitment to ensure the fulfilment of human rights, including the promotion of decent work. It also contains a commitment to work with Irish companies to help promote good development and human rights practices. Has the Minister discussed with the clothing brands in Ireland their obligations to accept the policies of the Bangladesh fire and building safety agreement? Against the backdrop of these appalling deaths, can we secure some agreement on actions the Government in holding the EU Presidency will take on this issue?

Regulation will be a popular move throughout Europe, as well as in Ireland which is suffering owing to the recession. It would be a popular move with most consumers who would be appalled to buy products from factories such as this, in which workers are treated like dirt. That is the issue. We have seen with other campaigns such as that regarding products tested on animals that people have responded and not bought the products involved. Similarly, we must respond to this case, in which people's lives are at risk. The Minister and I are old enough to remember the Stardust tragedy. I know many of the people who survived it and many of the families affected, as the Minister probably does. We all expressed shock and horror about it, but what people wanted at the time was regulation and a response to ensure such an event would never happen again. Unfortunately, in Bangladesh there is an increasing number of these appalling tragedies. There is corruption at the highest level in this regard. There is a responsibility on everybody, particularly people in the west who are buying these products, to respond to the needs of the people in question and positively to what the NGOs and labour organisations are seeking - the devising of some response to these tragedies.

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