Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are a number of things I must say in response because I am not sure who is giving the Deputy the information he is getting but it is not accurate. First, regarding the negotiations, or the process that was established to negotiate and listen to and hear the representations made on behalf of individual branch managers by the Branch Managers' Association, the facilitator was chosen by the branch managers and we agreed that whatever the outcome of that facilitative process we would accept it. An entire agreement was reached both before Christmas and when one or two issues were raised with us after Christmas. It was only on 19 February that the branch managers' representative body decided to pull out of the agreement because of new items that were brought to the table that had simply never been part of the negotiated process during the previous months. However, that door is always open. Mr. Kevin Duffy has done a fantastic job. He certainly did not run from one room to the next.

See this speech in context