Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Members will remember that on Committee Stage we provided a role for the Labour Relations Commission in the dispute resolution process, after internal company procedures have been exhausted and before referring matters to the Labour Court. That is the most effective way to deal with such issues. I have sympathy with the point made by Senator Quinn and I have examined this matter very carefully. Initially, I thought that what he is suggesting might be the right thing to do. However, on reflection, I believe it is safer to allow an individual employee to be in a position to make a complaint. It is entirely possible that an individual employee would have a difficulty and, after all, the complaint is going through the process of an internal mechanism and then the LRC where, if it were frivolous, it would be shot down immediately.

In the interests of preserving the rights of the individual, on balance, it is better to give the right to complain to the individual in the Bill, although I understand Senator Quinn's point. In view of the process envisaged here, I do not see any danger that the right we want to give the individual would be abused in any way because I think the people dealing with the complaint would spot an abuse from a mile away.