Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No one would imagine that undermining the collective bargaining traditions of the State, as the Minister is doing by introducing this legislation in a pre-emptive strike against trade unions and their members, was in the public interest. Clearly, it is not. If the Minister had full confidence in the deal as set out by the Labour Relations Commission, LRC, and the trade union leaderships, he would not introduce legislation at this time or in this manner. He has had form throughout the process. From the Croke Park debacle to Haddington Road, his form has been to wave a big stick at unions and their members and to be shrill, badgering, hectoring and threatening. This legislation, which would allow the Minister extraordinary powers to freeze increments, cut pay and extend working hours, is just the latest in a long sequence of that bullying approach.

I am sorry that my amendment on the Long Title was ruled out of order. Deputy Sean Fleming and others have pointed out that a significant number of the amendments that we proposed in good faith have been ruled out of order. This raises an issue for the Dáil in terms of the decisions made on what is allowed. Given the importance of this legislation, it is farcical that the majority of our amendments have been ruled out of order.

The Minister and I have different views of what might be in the public interest.

It seems to me that he seems to think it is a good plan to have policies that are targeted at low and middle income workers and their families that have, as a consequence, a contractional effect on the domestic economy and high levels of unemployment and emigration. I differ with the Minister in that regard. Public sector workers in large number also disagree with him. They are not alone, because many in the private sector see clearly how flawed and damaging the strategy has proven to be.

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