Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Is the Minister aware that at the recent talks, which he welcomed, the company took some of their favourable proposals off the table and offered worse terms to the workers? Is the Minister also aware that the company advanced as one of its reasons for changing tack on the redundancy payment, the change in the statutory rebate that goes to employers that was introduced in the last budget? I predicted that some acquisitive, greedy companies would seek to pass this reduction on to their workers, which is precisely what has happened in this case. Is the Minister further aware that the strike is now in its 17th day? It is appalling to watch people out in all sorts of weather. People with family responsibilities are walking up and down constantly, sometimes for as much as six hours a day and until 9 p.m., in order to vindicate their rights.

In addition, is the Minister aware that as a result of a vote taken last night this dispute is about to spread to Dublin? The places affected in Dublin will be at Grafton Street, Clery's and Jervis Street. The Minister mentioned the State's industrial relations machinery. He must surely be aware that the workers have expressed their willingness to go to the Labour Relations Commission. So far, however, there has been no response from the company. As Irish law stands, the company is under no obligation to engage in the process at all. So where does that leave the workers? If the company persists in its refusal to engage with the industrial relations machinery of the State, will those people be expected to continue walking up and down outside that store ad infinitum in order to pursue their rights?

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