Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to hear that the Government will appeal the sectoral employment order. It seems to me that there are very strong grounds for that appeal which, as was stated, will affect thousands of construction workers and, potentially, hundreds of thousands of other workers in sectors where SEOs or sectoral agreements maintain some kind of minimum standard of pay and conditions. The Tánaiste stated that people should not try to breach those orders or agreements prior to the appeal. It is important that that sentiment be enforced because I have already heard reports from construction workers that some contractors are taking advantage of the striking down of the order and are essentially trying to undercut the minimum rates. It is important that the orders are enforced. Construction workers will be protesting outside the headquarters of the Construction Industry Federation at 12.30 tomorrow to highlight their significant concern on this matter. Much as I welcome the Tánaiste's comments, how will the orders be enforced? Will the Government, on a parallel track, consider plan B legislation that will deal with possible loopholes to ensure that, in the event of the appeal failing, we will immediately have something in place to ensure that pay and conditions and minimum rates can be set through orders and by actions of the Dáil?

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