Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

In the context of extending Christmas greetings to you, a Chathaoirligh, the Leader of the House, Members and the staff, I hope we will savour the peace which was graphically illustrated in a CSO release yesterday, which shows that this country has the lowest level of industrial disputes, with the exception of one year in the late 1980s. I find it incomprehensible that one of the reasons the talks have broken down is because of inadequate guarantees of industrial peace. We have it now and I hope we will have it next year.

I understand that the trade unions are concerned about union recognition. I am not sure that militant trade unionism in semi-State bodies and a militant campaign is the best way to achieve that or that there would be many semi-State bodies left at the end of such a process. I hope the season of peace and goodwill will be taken by everybody concerned to think over the position and to reflect on whether we really want to abandon what has been one of the pillars of our prosperity.

I wholeheartedly endorse what one of my colleagues said about the Security Council and the good work done by the Minister and the Department of Foreign Affairs in that regard. Leaks are always regrettable and sometimes they have had a serious impact. However, in the scale of North-South bouquets, "dysfunctional" registers at a fairly low level.