Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

Senator Harris also mentioned it. It must be done as a matter of the utmost urgency. There will be a debate on banking in the House tomorrow and I hope Senators on both sides of the House can all stand up and say they think X or Y can be cut because that is what needs to be done.

I wholeheartedly agree with Senator Walsh who spoke on the joint labour council agreements on the pay rates for various trades and NERA. They involve policies which were introduced and legislative changes over the past number of years which are representative, unfortunately, of a different time. They were established to protect workers and ensure they were paid the correct rates. Now, because of the way things have gone, they are an impediment to the maintenance and creation of employment. We must debate them to see how we can reform these agreements and NERA to ensure they assist in the maintenance and creation of employment rather than being an impediment, which they are increasingly becoming.