Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is clear to everybody that Tesco management has behaved in an unjust and unfair manner and I congratulate the workers and their unions for taking a stand, not just for themselves but for the future staff of this company and similar companies in the retail sector. The dispute needs to be resolved once and for all and I welcome the fact that some talks took place last Friday. I understand that IBEC and ICTU will now engage in intensive discussions through the Labour Court. This action has huge public support, something I witnessed in Artane Castle last week when shoppers refused to pass the picket and motorists honked their horns. This level of public support was underestimated by Tesco management and no amount of spinning, in the form of full-page advertisements in the national press, can change the reality of the dispute from the perspective of the public. The Government can no longer remain neutral.

See this speech in context