Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If I may correct the record, they chose not to participate. As the GRA and AGSI are not trade unions, they are not represented by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. They would have had parallel negotiations, which is the position that applied to the Defence Forces associations. The latter concluded a deal with their management counterparts which was facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission. Their representatives chose to stay in the talks, as did the Prison Officers Association which represents another disciplined force and conducted parallel negotiations. The POA is different to the extent that it is represented by ICTU. However, owing to the unique issues which arise in the Prison Service, it was able to conduct parallel negotiations on behalf of its members. No one suggests prison officers and members of the Defence Forces were disadvantaged by sectoral talks. It is disappointing that the GRA and AGSI chose to leave the process as they may well have shaped the outcome of the talks in the best interests of their members, as other comparable unions and associations did. That is an important context in which this row has emerged.

Senator Mullins raised the insolvency guidelines. I agree with him that it is galling for taxpayers to read the prescriptive advice that appears to have been given in the guidelines. He also raised the issue of salary levels in RTE and called for a debate on value for money for the television licence. Perhaps that issue would be best discussed in the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. Senator Mooney referred to a visit yesterday to RTE by members of the joint committee and noted the good work done by the public service broadcaster. No one could defend the salary or fee levels in RTE. Part of the problem is the current pay structure in place because the figures published recently do not refer to salaries but fees that are negotiated, sometimes on an annual basis, with incorporated companies representing individual presenters. While the fees are excessive and disproportionate, there is clearly a process under way of negotiating them downwards. I welcome the significant cuts in fees and I am sure we will see them negotiated further downwards. The matter would be best addressed by the joint committee which may well invite RTE management to come before it to explain how the process of negotiating fees is undertaken.