Joe O'Toole (Independent)

That is unfortunate. As a former president of the ICTU, I regret that the two ICTU delegates to the Equality Authority, Louise O'Donnell and David Joyce, with whom I have worked closely over the years on many issues, have found it necessary to withdraw from it. This is terrible and tragic. These people have a great commitment to such issues, energetically make the effort and make it work. From the ICTU perspective, two issues of extraordinary importance were being dealt with this year. The first pertained to the question of people using agency workers as a means of circumventing the rights of workers. I refer to the use of agencies based in other countries or jurisdictions or in this jurisdiction in an effort to get around the rules dealing with labour legislation. ICTU simply seeks an investigation into this issue, which is the purpose of the Equality Authority. Similarly, ICTU also wanted the authority to examine the manner in which people with intellectual disabilities are being dealt with in sheltered workshops, how such workshops operate, what support exists for them and so on. While the Minister of State may respond by saying the authority still will set about doing so, having considered the budget, one should not cod oneself. This cannot be done in the desired manner.

Will the Minister of State re-examine this issue? I refer to the urgency with which this was done. It could have been stated that the country was going through a bad year and that although cutbacks in the budget were required this year, it would be reinstated in the following year. People could cope with that and could submit a plan, however much one might argue with it. However, it appears as though the authority has been knocked, weakened, handcuffed and shackled. Its energy has been compromised and its force has been diluted. The aforementioned agencies will fail to discharge what is required of them legislatively. As Members established them to perform a task, they must give them support. I want the Minister of State to state the Government hopes to return such a level of support and resources to these agencies next year or the year after. I would like to hear a commitment in this regard.

I second the motion.