David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I congratulate Senator Ó Clochartaigh and his wife on their new arrival.

I concur with previous speakers in respect of the calls that gave been made consistently for both the Minister for Health and the Minister for Finance to come into this Chamber. We will be shortly going into recess but I hope the Leader of the House would reflect on the demands that have been made by Members from across the political spectrum and from the independent groups for either the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Taoiseach to come to the House. The EU summit is taking place this week.

Unfortunately, the Italians, the Greeks and the Portuguese have done a far better job of negotiating on behalf of Ireland than the leaders of this country, which is appalling. Perhaps it would be more appropriate if the ambassadors of those countries would attend the House.

The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill is before the Dáil. Bills have been tabled by Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil and I ask if the Government will support these Bills. They were tabled because of the vacuum that exist following the High Court ruling in respect of JLCs. The previous Government introduced a similar Bill and, in consistent form, spoke from both sides of its mouth by introducing the Bill but leaving it on Second Stage. There is a fear on the part of the trade union movement that something similar will happen to the Bills introduced yesterday in the Dáil. This is an important issue and we must protect vulnerable workers.

The EU pensions directive has not been implemented by this State. Like me the Leader is from Waterford and he will be aware of what happened to the Waterford Crystal workers. Thousands of them were left without adequate compensation and redundancy but also without pensions. The failure of the State to implement the European pensions directive, and the fact that the previous Government supported the British Government in the Robins v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions case is a disgrace. Many workers may find themselves in the same position as the Waterford Crystal workers.

The workers' union, Unite, is taking the Government to the European courts and I hope it wins its case. There is a strong legal argument to suggest it will. In advance of that, the Government should do the decent thing by implementing the European directive and making sure the Waterford Crystal workers are properly compensated for what happened to them because of the failure of the Government to act. I hope there will be time put aside to discuss the directive, its implications and the need for this country to implement the full terms of the European pensions directive.