Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a huge opportunity here with the Bill, which is going through committee, to address the demands I have raised.

If the State can legislate for the size of desks, the classroom temperature, the ownership, administration and health and safety, why can the State not legislate for workers' rights?

Unite, the union representing 100 workers - it is not 50% of the workforce; it is about 1,200; it fluctuates - has tried to meet the Minister of State and the Minister for Education and Skills to go through these issues. If things are being organised in the background as the Minister of State has said, it would be an opportunity to talk to those workers and their union about what protection could be offered to them. The first thing the Minister and Minister of State should do is meet representatives of Unite and the workers themselves. They have not done so; they have already met representatives of MEI, but have not met the people most affected in the workplace. I appeal to the Minister of State to meet them and we can relay that information on to them.

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