Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. We are all on the same page. There is a claim and a dispute. The two parties to the dispute need to resolve the matter. There are established State mechanisms to resolve disputes and, to their credit, they have worked and kept industrial peace for many years.

A very successful pay agreement, namely, Building Momentum, is coming to a conclusion. As I stated, talks will soon get under way, if they are not under way already, to provide for a successor agreement. There is no reason both parties to the dispute cannot sit down and thrash this out. It has been done in the past and I am sure in this case it will happen in time. I would prefer it to happen sooner rather than later to avoid an impact on vulnerable people who turn to the likes of the Deputy and me and our colleagues, as public representatives, for help and assistance. We are finding the door shut in our faces while trying to help people.

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