Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before I answer the question, would the Ceann Comhairle mind if I paid a short tribute to the late Tommie Gorman? It was with shock and sadness that we learned of Tommie's sudden passing yesterday. He was a true professional and an absolute gentleman. Outside of his job as an RTÉ correspondent, he had a genuine interest in the Northern Ireland peace process. Even though he was retired, he continued to build relationships and break down barriers. Nobody was more committed to public service broadcasting. It was with great pride that he showed a number of us in this House around the grounds of his beloved Sligo Rovers. He also showed us the club's ambitious plans for the future. I am sure he will be steering the plans from on high. I extend our sympathies to his family. What can I say other than "Goodbye" to Tommie, our pal?

I will now address the question the Deputy has raised.

I fully understand how frustrating and upsetting it is for many people who are now potentially unable to go on holiday, get married or travel for important work reasons. Yesterday the Labour Court met each party for a briefing on their perspectives. It does not believe at this time that any efforts on its part will assist the parties in finding a resolution to their dispute. The Labour Court remains available to the parties and the situation will be reviewed comprehensively on Monday, 1 July. The court has urged the parties to desist from any further escalation of the dispute in the meantime. The Labour Court was jointly requested to investigate this trade dispute by Aer Lingus and the Fórsa trade union. That happened, and I understand that on 23 May it issued an interim recommendation to stabilise the situation while engagement continued. The interim recommendation of the court was, as I understand it, rejected by the Fórsa trade union. The court remains available to the parties and has urged them to desist from any further escalation of the dispute in the meantime.

I understand how difficult it is for people. We all know once Christmas is over people start saving for that summer holiday. They save ever week, sometimes in the local credit union. I often saw the case where the children would come in with the money because they were so excited about going on their summer holidays. It is awful for parents to have to break the news to their children that they cannot go. My heart goes out to them, it really does. The Government is doing everything we can. We are using the industrial relations machinery, which the Deputy well knows is the mechanism whereby these disputes are resolved. The Taoiseach met union and employer representatives on Monday through the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, and took the opportunity to highlight the Government's concerns about the economic, consumer and reputational impact of the industrial dispute. I urge all parties to encourage Aer Lingus and the Irish Air Line Pilots Association to engage with the industrial relations machinery of the State to reach a negotiated outcome. Intensive efforts must be made by both parties to avoid further disruption that impacts the travelling public and the wider economy. I hope both sides will maximise the opportunity that is there in the Labour Court. I urge them to get back to the table.

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