Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What the Deputy says is speculative. Maybe she is right or maybe she is wrong. I do not believe she is right, but we will wait and see. All I can see is the evidence before me of what the airline itself has stated. It has stated that NAI has no Asian based crew and that US and EU based crew will be used on NAI transatlantic services. It has stated that Norwegian always follows the rules and regulations in all the markets in which it operates and offers employees competitive wages and conditions. It will not be able to do anything Aer Lingus or Ryanair cannot do already. It will not be in a different category.

As has recently been communicated in a reply on NAI's employment practices, my Department has not undertaken an examination of the specific employment practices of any Irish airline. All matters related to employment contracts are an operational matter for the airlines and not under my remit as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I reiterate to the Deputy that Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation which offers extensive protection to employees.

I note to Deputy Daly that I will meet the people to whom she refers. It would certainly be wrong for me not to do so. I assure her that this decision and application will not be reversed and there will be no attempt to do anything of the sort. I am happy to meet them, however, because it would be right to hear their points of view.

See this speech in context