David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, and that is precisely the point I am teasing out. If they do not have the right to dissent or if that dissent will lead to punishment, why give them that right in the first place? Why consult them? Why not just ram it through? The flaw in the argument, in my opinion, is that it suggests that democracy is discretional and that is a dangerous road to go down.

Nobody would deny that this Government inherited a disaster. It was an absolute disaster and it was partly, though not entirely, manufactured by the previous Fianna Fáil Government. I was against every measure it produced that helped to lead us there. It was not entirely the fault of that Government but it was partly so. In that context, I have sympathy with the Minister but it seems to me that, implicit in the Minister's comments, is the idea that the democratic element of trade union negotiations is now discretionary. I do not think that should be the case. We will have to differ on this point. Indeed, we may even differ on whether that really is the Minister's position.