Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Following from Deputy Byrne's comments, the alignment process is a different scenario, and we are not really here to debate the merits or otherwise of that. We are demanding that the workers' voices be heard because they have continuously tried to contact the Minister: union members met representatives of the Department on 24 September to try to get meaningful negotiations rather than just being told what is to happen.

The uncertainty for these workers created by the process has made it difficult for them. In some local authorities, there has already been movement on the alignment process, with workers in local development companies asked to work with the local authorities to map work; they are refusing to work with the local authorities. I support such action as these people need to know what the future holds. These people have worked for up to 20 years in this area, which is at the coal face of communities. They deal on a daily basis with the matters affecting communities in the likes of Crumlin, Bluebell and the canal area. They know what is happening and they should be involved in negotiations on what the future holds for the alignment process.

How would the Minister feel if the Taoiseach was to create a new Department that could include parts of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government but that excluded the Minister?

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