Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all speakers for debating this in a calm atmosphere. Last Friday the parties voluntarily agreed to take part in talks under the auspices of the Labour Court and they should be given the time to resolve the dispute with the help of the industrial relations institutions of the State.

As I said earlier, it must be remembered that this is a difficult industrial relations dispute. The company has not changed anyone's contract unilaterally. All sides have been attempting to resolve the differences over an extended period and have used the industrial relations machinery throughout. There is nothing to be gained by vilifying either the company or the union and such approaches are unhelpful. The parties to this dispute are availing of the mechanisms of the State and they both jointly agreed to engage with the Labour Court last Friday. Mandate has suspended industrial action and the company has agreed to make no changes to contracts pending the outcome of talks. This is a positive sign from both sides and this move by the parties should be respected by all Deputies.

Our industrial relations institutions have been heavily involved in this dispute. Where employer and employee representatives come together and enter into voluntary agreements to resolve differences it creates buy-in from both sides and is a win-win situation.

Deputies Collins and Calleary talked about legislation and work is progressing in the developing of a policy response to zero-hour and low-hour contracts. The Department is currently engaged with the ICTU and IBEC to secure broad agreement to the proposals that have been finalised. The work is being progressed as quickly as possible and is nearing conclusion. We expect proposals to be brought to Government in the first quarter of 2017. Work is also ongoing in respect of the Duffy-Cahill hours.

I call on Members to join me in encouraging all sides to make every effort to reach a resolution by agreement between the company management and the workers, represented by their trade unions, with the help of the State's industrial relations machinery.

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