Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

I fully endorse the call by the leader of the Fine Gael group for the presence of a Minister in the House to explain exactly what is the Government's position in response to the breakdown in the partnership talks. It is a tragedy that they have broken down as we are watching the dismantlement of one of the cornerstones of the Celtic tiger. Extrapolating from what was said by Senator O'Toole, president of congress, the talks appear to have irretrievably broken down. This was also evident from the verbal joust on radio yesterday between the Senator and Turlough O'Sullivan of IBEC. It is obvious that we are reaping the harvest of Government profligacy in the run-up to the last general election.

One group is not represented, either in collective bargaining or on an individual basis – immigrant workers. I met three Romanians on their return from working in the construction industry in Amsterdam airport the other day. I learned that they were earning €6 per hour for hard manual labour for one of the largest construction companies in this country. This is ruthless exploitation of people who come here on valid work permits and visas and who are totally unrepresented. We need an urgent debate to see what can be done to give some kind of cothrom na Féinne or equity to the people concerned who are here at the invitation of employers but being shamelessly exploited.

In view of the fact that the partnership talks have taken place on the basis of an invitation from the Taoiseach, I fully endorse the comments and invitation of the leaders of Fine Gael and the Labour Party that the Taoiseach must get involved to bring sanity and rationale and get the participants talking once more.