Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I asked the Minister how he proposes to make provision for those workers who are outside the agreement. He acknowledges the right of every trade union to vote according to its beliefs. I remind the Minister that members of TUI and INTO did not get to ballot on the new arrangements. It was the leadership of those unions which accepted the deal, not the membership. In the case of the workers to whom I am referring, they clearly rejected the constraints of the Lansdowne Road agreement and, as a result, we are facing strikes by teachers and gardaí. The Minister will have to sit down with the unions concerned and resolve the issues at some point. He is saying there is no provision in the budget to do so. I am asking why he should bother talking to those workers if there is no provision to address the issues they have with the agreement.

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