Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I wish to make the point, although Senator Mary Ann O'Brien has made it for the benefit of Senator Cullinane, that there are companies utilising agency workers where those workers themselves are quite happy with the rates of pay they are getting and the permanent employees are happy with the arrangement around the agency workers. It is the permanent workforce in some of these companies, apart from the agency workers, who are raising the issue that the lack of flexibility being introduced within the system will have long-term implications for their jobs. Decisions are made outside of Ireland in many cases. It is my fear that we will consign these people to the unemployment register.

I would have thought Sinn Féin would have changed its tune from the 1980s. There was a big company in New Ross with up to 1,000 people working there until some Sinn Féin-IRA activist came in and caused a number of strikes which led to the closure of the company. I thought those days were behind us. I ask people to enlighten themselves about the real issue in this economy as it stands, rather than false ideology for populist reasons to garner votes. This is about people who are employed today but who could find themselves unemployed tomorrow, with their families suffering as a consequence.