Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cowen. I have no direct role in this. It is an operational matter for the company. Having said that, Deputy Cowen, like me, has received representations from transport staff, both on the rail side and on the road transport side, as has Deputy Eugene Murphy. All of us across the midlands have received them. There is a bigger issue here in relation to the overall industrial relations environment within the company. It is important, where a successful agreement has been reached and adopted by the staff and the company, that it can be kept intact.

I listened to what Deputy Cowen said. I will relay those issues directly to the board and ask it to consider them. If staff can come up with savings, that needs to be assessed thoroughly. If there are mechanisms, through councils or whatever, to resolve these issues, they need to be used. I listened to what Deputy Cowen said and I will reflect that back to the board, but these are operational matters. As Deputies in the area, we are all concerned about any industrial relations issues. It is in the interests of everyone, within the board and within the wider community, that these agreements are implemented in full.

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