Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The House will be glad to know that the Minister of State, Deputy Gerald Nash, will be introducing before the summer recess groundbreaking new legislation to protect low paid workers, including the protection of collective bargaining and the restoration of registered employment agreements, which were struck down by the courts. That is something with which all trade unionists and all workers will strongly agree.

In respect of my aim in the pay talks that are currently under way, I have said that I will be faithful to the Haddington Road agreement, which was solemnly entered into by myself and the Government on one side and the trade union movement on the other, and which reflects the importance of ensuring that the focus is on low paid and middle income workers in particular.

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