Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)

I am a bit disappointed but not a little bit surprised that the senior Minister did not stay for the full duration of the debate. He rarely does when it has anything to do with workers' rights. I wish everyone here a very happy May Day, especially those people who work here in the Oireachtas, the people who cook and clean for us, the ones who keep this place running. On May Day we celebrate workers all over the world but it is really important that we remember those people who are working here all around us.

As most people will know, I am a former union organiser. As a union organiser, I worked alongside a very brave and brilliant woman by the name of Kathleen Funchion, who is an MEP now. Some colleagues will know that Kathleen has spoken recently about her experience of coercive control. I want to take this opportunity to say to the woman I used to work with - we worked together in the union - and continue to call a comrade and a friend that we are so proud of her. We are proud of her bravery. We send her our love and solidarity not just on May Day but every day, especially today because I know today is a very special day for Kathleen, for myself and for workers.

Politics is all about priorities. Let us have a little look at where the priorities for this Government lie. Let us call it a tale of two reports. One report recommends that CEOs on salaries of €300,000 plus are going to get a pay increase. They will not be getting a performance-related bonus, nothing like that, a straight-up pay increase for people on €300,000 plus. We also have a report from the Low Pay Commission, which recommends the abolition of sub-minimum rates of pay. Young workers are currently paid less than their colleagues for the same work. They are punished for the crime of being young. They work hard and they do the same work yet there is institutionalised discrimination. Guess which report the Government is rushing to act on. Of course it is the CEOs on €300,000 plus. They are going to get a pat on the back and probably a few more bob. Young workers on sub-minimum rates of pay are being told very clearly to continue working, doing the same work as their colleagues for less money and the Government will stand over that. It is shameful. I say to the Government that we see you and we see where your priorities lie. To every worker, I would say Jesus, do not wait around for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Michael Lowry or anyone else to protect your rights. The best way to protect your rights at work is to join your trade union and be active in it. If the Government had any interest in ensuring that workers could protect themselves at work, it would introduce the right to organise, but it will not do that, only a Sinn Féin led Government will do that.

I remind anyone listening that the annual May Day march will take place this evening at 7 p.m. at the Garden of Remembrance. I hope as many workers as possible will join me, Sinn Féin, the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, other trade unionists and progressive parties to celebrate May Day in our capital city.

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