Michael McCarthy (Labour)

Late last year in this House we initiated the National Tourism Development Authority Bill, which paved the way to allow CERT and Bord Fáilte to merge. This week, the Minister is due to officially sign the order to allow the merger to take place, but an industrial dispute is ongoing. I stressed in the debate on the Bill in the House that after the merger nobody in any organisation should be less well off in terms of pay and conditions. Negotiations on that issue have failed to reach a successful conclusion and on that basis I appeal to the Minister to suspend the merger process until such time as this issue has been sorted out.

I subscribe to the sentiments expressed by my colleagues, Senators O'Meara and Kett, on the "True Lives" documentary screened last night. I pay tribute to the courage and the bravery of the families of victims of road carnage—