Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for tabling the motion. I wish to salute the Debenhams workers and their representatives from Mandate Trade Union. It is not lost on these or any other workers that the Government gets excited, interested and passionate about particular things. Its members get very passionate about money for themselves. The Cabinet happily debated legislation which would give the super junior Ministers a few more bob. That is not lost on people. They know what is going on. They see who the members of Government are, how they behave and what is important to them. Workers' rights are not important to the Government, but that does not matter because workers' rights are important. They are important to Sinn Féin and other Opposition Deputies. We will ensure that workers such as the Debenhams workers are not forgotten or left behind. That must not be allowed to happen. It is not a good look for the Government when there are newspaper reports revealing that the Cabinet discussed another pay increase for people who are already very well paid. It is not a good look for the Government when Ministers are squabbling over which of them will be allocated an aide-de-camp or another Garda driver. Government party Deputies have expressed their disappointment at not being chosen to take a step up. None of them referred to ability. None of them stated that they wanted the job because they could do it better than anyone else or they could bring particular qualities to it. Rather, they spoke of their region, town or parish being disappointed. None of them referred to merit. That is not lost on people. They see what is important to the Government. The job of the Opposition is to put the case for the workers to the Government.

Some of the workers have 34 years of service. Workers who have spent 34 years working side by side have been through everything together. They probably saw each other off to get married and welcomed each other back from maternity or paternity leave. They went to each others' engagement parties. They have shown each other photographs of their children or grandchildren. They have worked together for 34 years.

The workers operated under a collective agreement. Deputies are covered by collective agreements that are honoured by our employer. The Debenhams workers negotiated their collective agreement. Anyone who has negotiated such an agreement, as I have, will know that they always involve compromise. I acknowledge that some Deputies do not like the word "compromise", but it is exactly what is needed to negotiate a collective agreement. There is give and take. The workers gave, but now they see that their collective agreement is worthless. We must not just shrug our shoulders. We have seen situations such as this before. I refer to Clery's, TalkTalk, La Senza, Paris Bakery and now Debenhams. Every time it happens, there is collective agreement that somebody should do something and that it must not be allowed to happen again. We must draw a line in the sand.

Sinn Féin previously tabled legislation that was not opposed by the two big parties that are in Government together. I have sought leave to introduce legislation on this issue. I sincerely hope that when leave to introduce it is granted, those parties will not oppose its passage but rather work with us to ensure that it is passed and in order that we do not find ourselves back here discussing a similar situation and having to shrug our shoulders to another group of workers, tell them it is terrible and offer an apology.

In the meantime, we need to back the workers, work with them and do all we can. That means the Government must do all it can to ensure the workers get a resolution to their dispute. A ballot is required to take industrial action and only a ballot will conclude it. The workers will only accept a ballot that they deem fair and just. No industrial action goes on forever. I am sure the past 104 days feels like forever for the Debenhams workers, who are mostly women. It has been a very long time in unprecedented circumstances, but they are strong and determined. We must be equally strong and determined to ensure that we do right by them and that we use whatever power and influence we have and whatever mechanism is at our disposal to ensure that a satisfactory resolution to their dispute is found such that they can ballot to end the industrial action, get what they are entitled to and move on.

We do not need more reports or reviews. Although I am currently speaking to the motion, we do not need more talk on this issue. We know what needs to be done. The current situation is just not right. I salute the workers. They are on the picket lines 24 hours a day to try to keep the stock in those stores because that is all they have left. The message is clear. They have significant public support. They are incredibly determined and they will see this dispute out to the end. I call on the Government to do all in its power to assist with the dispute.

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