Alex White (Labour)

That is all the more reason for doing it. The trade unions have made a reasonable demand for legislation on agency workers. I have twice asked the Leader of the House when that legislation will be introduced but I have received no reply. I am pleased the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, is present; perhaps he can give me a reply. Will he also assure the House that he and the Government will abandon their association with two or three other European Union member states in blocking or delaying the implementation of the draft directive on agency workers? That directive will give the vital balance we need in this debate. Yes, we need development and innovation but we also need workers' and employees' rights to ensure there is no continuation of the exploitation of agency workers. I ask the Minister of State to address this as it is a vital issue in the overall debate.