Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad it was possible to come to an agreement in the WRC last night. The pay offer was an increase of 8% spread over time, with some of it to be backdated. Some people went to bed last night not knowing whether someone would be there to help them to get up in the morning and that was distressing for many people. Sadly, it is the nature of industrial relations that sometimes things can only be agreed at the last moment, often in the dead of night.

As the Deputy pointed out herself in her remarks, this dispute brewing over a period of time resulted in a fivefold increase in membership for unions. This is the nature of industrial relations unfortunately. Often things can only be agreed at the last moment. Had that same offer been made a week ago or two weeks ago, there is no guarantee it would have been accepted.

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