James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is quite right that we have enjoyed relative industrial peace in this country in recent times and that is to be welcomed. It is a sign, largely, of a successful economy but also of empowered workers and unions and good relations between employers and employees. Thankfully, that has been the case, by and large, in recent times, notwithstanding the current dispute. The Taoiseach stated on Tuesday in this Chamber that there was only one way this could end. The only way any industrial relations dispute can end is by engagement and compromise. As the Taoiseach quite rightly said, it is just a matter of when that happens and whether it happens sooner or later. The sooner the better for everybody concerned because people have a right to be able to follow through on plans they have made to go on holidays, take up business travel, welcome visiting relatives or whatever the case may be. There are many reasons people want to fly. We are an island nation and we have a limited number of options to connect with the outside world. Aviation is at the core of that, obviously.

It is also worth saying that there were multiple strands to this dispute. A a number of different mechanisms were used to address the pilot pay issue, including a pilots' pay tribunal chaired by a senior counsel, the WRC and, ultimately, the Labour Court. One would hope that it will not take so many steps the next time there is a dispute and that it can be resolved in the first instance.

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