Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are very much committed to this process. Obviously, just a week into the job, I am trying to go through and evaluate all of these issues, but we are absolutely committed in the first instance. The Deputy can see that demonstrated by the establishment of the LEEF group chaired by the Taoiseach and the sub-group chaired by our own Department. We are working at pace on the issues that have come forward and I listed the five points where substantial work is under way. With regard to the directive, we will meet the target. We will have it on time, which is very important in regard to the action plan, and we are very much committed to the right to collective bargaining as a country. The Government has established that, in addition to the myriad of supports we have put in place for workers. The Government has been a very progressive government if judged objectively in terms of the supports it has put in for employees up and down this State. We will continue on that trajectory and support them in every way we can.

See this speech in context