Joe O'Toole (Independent)

When I addressed a large demonstration outside Buswell's Hotel last November in support of the Irish Glass Bottle workers, redundancy was a huge issue. I gave a commitment at the meeting, on behalf of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, to make redundancy a key issue during any new negotiations. In welcoming the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the House this afternoon, I did not fully expect that such progress would have been made in such a short period. Arguments are often made about people being on the left or the right of politics, but on behalf of Congress and on my own behalf, I would like to make clear that there is always room for partnership and that people can always find a coincidence of objectives and do business on that basis.

This Bill represents the outcome of long days and late nights of seemingly intractable argument. I would like to put on the record that the Tánaiste has shown an interest, an involvement and a commitment in relation to this issue in the course of the discussions. Negotiations were not easy – they never are in these situations – as we were debating a key issue for the trade union movement. Some people ask if the labour movement can do business with the Tánaiste and, without a doubt, the answer is that we can and we do, not just on this issue, but regularly in relation to many issues. Those of us who deal with her have found her to be honourable and committed in our dealings with her. We very often have disagreements which cannot be sorted out, but that is in the nature of solid relationships. Having finally reached a position on this matter late one night in Government Buildings, the Tánaiste shook hands on it. Today she has delivered on the promises she made.

This Bill is record-breaking in many ways. It has proceeded from conception to delivery in the shortest time I can recall. It represents the greatest increase in redundancy payments in the history of these payments. This legislation either doubles or quadruples the entitlements of workers at a vulnerable stage, when they are being laid off from companies. Huge issues relating to redundancy have to be looked at and avoided, of course, but this Bill is superb in the interests of reaching that point.

I thank the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for bringing this Bill through so quickly and congratulate her officials for bringing it forward with such expediency. She made a commitment to seek Government priority for this legislation and she achieved it. More importantly, this Bill is a huge confidence-boosting measure. Every journalist who telephoned me during the negotiations presumed that I was having great difficulty with the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance. I said on every occasion that I was not having any particular difficulty with the two Ministers and felt that I could do business and negotiate with them.