David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 12:

In page 22, line 32, to delete “voluntary”.

This is an important amendment, as it is the one that seeks to delete the word "voluntary" so that we have mandatory trade union recognition, or at least move in that direction. I will not repeat or go through all of the arguments again. Some of the Senators present may not have been here on Committee Stage and may not be aware of the lengthy discussions we had on these amendments then. There is no point in speaking for the sake of it again. I am aware of the Minister of State's view and have put on the record my understanding that in framing the legislation, he was operating within the Constitution. We had a very lengthy discussion and I made a very lengthy speech on Committee Stage stating why we need at some point to grasp the nettle of going to the people if necessary to improve the constitutional position to allow us to have more robust protections for workers. Whether through this or other legislation, we are prevented or strangled by provisions within the Constitution and there is a need to level the playing field at some point. I understand and accept that the Minister of State cannot accept the amendments, but I must press them to place the matter on the record. We have to keep pushing out the boat as much as we can on these issues.