Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Minister of State can understand why I am extremely disappointed with her response. The least these workers deserve is respect. They have been shown no respect by the Department of Social Protection. The Minister of State acknowledged in her reply that responsibility for job initiative schemes has been transferred to that Department. When officials from the Department met representatives of SIPTU, they did not say this was nothing to do with the Department. A WRC invitation has been outstanding for five months. I have to say the Government is playing ducks and drakes with this. It is ducking here and ducking there. These people are waiting for moneys that are due to them on foot of a Labour Court recommendation. The disrespect shown to these workers is in stark contrast to the affording of moneys to banks and developers by the Government. I do not mean it personally when I put it to the Minister of State, who has a rotten job here today, that this is a disgrace. I am extremely dissatisfied because it is a disservice to the Seanad that I have been unable to get a single straight answer on behalf of these workers. I hope the Minister of State can do more than that before she leaves.