Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not aware of any lobbying but I know that both employers and unions are intimately involved in the appointment of members to those bodies. That has always been the case and the fact that IBEC is interested in this area, no more than the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, is interested, is normal. I assure the Deputy, who has considerable experience in this area, that these bodies have a strong reputation for being fair and equitable to all who come before them. They would not have had the success that they have had over the years in dealing with difficult industrial relations issues if they had not approached their work in that way. I will relay the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation who is on a trade mission this week but IBEC's interest in the membership or operations of these bodies is not surprising.

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