Shane Ross (Independent)

The big paymasters of IBEC are the semi-States, Aer Rianta, Aer Lingus, the ESB, RTE, which all pay well over €100,000 a year into IBEC's coffers. Can anyone tell me that these people somehow represent small business, the backbone of this economy, or the enterprise economy? Whatever one's personal feelings what can anybody say about the most successful company in this country in the past ten years? I challenge anyone to nominate a more successful, more profitable company than Ryanair. It will have no truck with IBEC. It is not a member and regards it as a complete waste of time, because it stifles enterprise. I consider it a pity that Ryanair does not deal with unions. I support the right of anyone to a member of a trade union if he or she can. However, Ryanair is the beacon of enterprise and success in this country, whose workers will not be represented at these talks.

We have heard from the Taoiseach in the recent days that he wants to see ten more years of this.