Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor, for attending the House. She is busy coming to the House regularly. It is great to see the summer break was not wasted on some of our politicians. Many of them were busy dusting down their clichés and working hard on them during the recess.

Fianna Fáil supports the general principles of the Labour Party’s motion. However, there are elements to it which are void now. For example, the circumstances around the Dublin Bus strike have changed since last weekend. While it seems to be active in Opposition, it is disappointing that when Labour was in power for the previous five years, it did not take the initiative to bring forward the proposals set out in this motion for a new industrial relations body comprising employers and unions.

While Fianna Fáil supports the general principles of this idea, as do the main social partners, we have also signed up to the current public pay process as provided under the confidence and supply arrangement and the establishment of a public service pay commission. This was a key demand of Fianna Fáil in our discussions on an arrangement to facilitate the formation of a minority Government. This process was part-started by Fianna Fáil as part of the larger Croke Park agreement. There is a clear need to link future arrangements and agreements with ongoing reform and improvement of public service delivery.

We welcome any job creation. However, employment under the previous Fine Gael-Labour Government was heavily concentrated in a small area. Up to 43% of the economy’s’ gross domestic product is generated in Dublin. This concentration in one small area is disproportionate. In London, the same figure is about 20%. While the total number of people on the live register fell by 42,000 over the past year, there are still 60,000 people on activation schemes. Ireland is also one of the toughest places to find work with 115,000 people underemployed. Bringing clarity to work hours is essential to creating decent jobs, as increasingly the rate a worker is paid means they can become vulnerable and reliant on welfare. In the framework for confidence and supply arrangement, a policy commitment was reached to tackle this problem caused by the increased casualisation of work which prevents workers from being able to save and have any job security.

Dublin Bus workers have played a positive role in delivering public transport services in recent years. These improvements have been delivered with fewer resources under difficult circumstances. It is important management recognises the sacrifices made by workers and strike a fair proportionate pay deal with them. However, the sustainability of Dublin Bus must also be secured. It is essential that all parties are aware of the severe disruption which has been already caused to commuters, as well the further disruption should a prolonged strike continue. The approach of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, to date has enabled the dispute to escalate. A real change in approach by the Minister is needed in this matter. It appears the parties are not that far apart. There is still time to resolve this dispute through negotiation and prevent a damaging strike from taking place, bringing our capital to its knees.