Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is freedom of association and people have a perfect right not to join a trade union. If the TUI negotiates a deal for its members, it is a collective agreement with that union. In this instance, we would be quite happy to negotiate what we have agreed with the TUI with others, but we are in circumstances in which we have not reached such an agreement and I hope we can reach agreement. Those who have not been party to the negotiations organised by the TUI which resulted in benefits do not have access to those benefits. The only way we can do this is on a sectoral basis. If those concerned were in a union in which the TUI had exclusive negotiating rights, it would not arise, but they are in the sector in which there are two trade unions that have negotiating rights recognised. We can confer benefits only on those who have entered into the collective agreements. If we were to do otherwise and try to foster non-membership, we could be accused of trying to break unions. That would be hostile to the collective approach the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and others have articulated as the one we want to use to resolve issues. Not using it would undermine the value of an agreement such as the Lansdowne Road agreement, whereby people would have a more à la carteview of it. That is the reasoning. I can understand the Deputy's frustration because it took me a long time to gain an understanding of why circumstances are as they are. I can understand why and have to admit, having gained that understanding, that I cannot offer to change it. It is integral to the way in which we negotiate collectively with public service unions.

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