Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was just going to say that. It is a nationwide issue. I am sure the Minister of State is aware that Fórsa members in local authorities across the State are in the middle of industrial action. As a public representative, I have seen first hand over the years the brilliant work the estate managers and area officers do for and across communities in my constituency. I know the pressure they are under. For instance, when estate managers are moved or move themselves or go off sick, there is no replacement for them. They are under pressure on the front line. They deal with residents in local authority housing across the city in public and private housing. Fórsa estimates that there has been a loss of 10,000 jobs from this sector over a number of years. That is how under-resourced local government is, including Dublin City Council and, as the Ceann Comhairle said, across the State. The issue at the core of this dispute is simple, it is how the management of local authorities has refused to engage on this and have allowed this to go on. It is beyond me. This should have been addressed a long time ago. During the years of the harsh austerity measures, these workers stepped up and took on increased responsibilities and duties. Workers are seeking that the increased duties they have accepted be formally recognised. A job evaluation scheme is a practice already common across Europe and in the North of Ireland. The health and higher education sectors in the South have already brought in this scheme. It is a process of evaluating each post, the responsibilities of the post and the worth of the post. We have seen the success of this scheme elsewhere; I cannot understand why local government management is refusing to implement the scheme. We must ensure that workers are given a fair and transparent process to evaluate their roles and ensure proper grading.

It should be made clear that this dispute is a result of the Local Government Management Agency refusing to enter negotiations with Fórsa, as was recommended by the WRC in January. We need to see meaningful engagement from the local management agency with the union. The workers have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action up to and including strike action. This is having a harsh impact on vulnerable members of our community. The Government cannot take a spectator's role in this dispute between the workers and local government management. Will the Minister and the Government intervene to bring about a fair solution that shows these workers are valued and respected?

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