Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have mentioned the issue of industrial relations on previous occasions and do so again in the House this morning because, in the coming weeks, four sectors of our public services will be going on strike. Approximately 2,000 gardaí are embarking on an administrative strike. They will not be processing files or interacting with senior management. It is also understood that they will not be attending court as witnesses in prosecution cases and this will have a savage impact on our criminal justice system.

Tomorrow, 17,000 teachers who are members of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, ASTI, will go on strike. This will affect two thirds of the secondary schools in our country. It may not be felt so much this Thursday but after the mid-term break it will have a serious impact on parents of younger children, particularly those in first and second year, who will have to engage child minders at great expense. Non-consultant hospital doctors are also threatening to strike and nurses' unions are also considering balloting their members on the issue of bed to staff ratios.

What is the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform doing about all of this? He should come into this House and explain what is being done about industrial action in the public sector. The Lansdowne Road agreement is in place but I heard the former Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, on "Morning Ireland" this morning saying that it should be collapsed, even though it was one of his initiatives. I do not think anyone has a solution at this stage but we must take this more seriously or the country will be at an absolute standstill.