Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

The trade union movement has played a monumental role in the development of the economy, the creation of employment and, above all, in ensuring stability in industrial relations. We still have a significantly high level of employment but the challenge facing us is to ensure those jobs are protected and to create new jobs where possible.

We should acknowledge the courage shown by a number of trade union leaders in these difficult times. They have seen the benefits of social partnership. In better times when that process was being moved forward, we tended not to question the fact the social partners were in touch with Government because we saw the benefits of it. It is possibly more important now that that process continues. It is good to know the social partnership talks are still taking place. I hope they will be elevated to a new level and that there is the possibility of a new national agreement.

There is a greater understanding now of where we are and the opportunities which can exist in the future. When the first difficult decisions were made, there was much disappointment in the community ending in anger. We now know we have no choice but to make hard decisions. However, if those hard decisions do not lead to positive results, people will not be happy. The only chance we have to do that is through the social partners working with Government. If we do not have stability in industrial relations, it will undermine all our plans. There is no prospect of an investor taking an investment opportunity if there is not stability in the country in terms of industrial relations.