Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today sees the end of the biennial meeting of the Irish Congress of Trades Unions in Dublin. I commend the comments of the secretary general of ICTU, Patricia King, yesterday when she responded to the address given by the Taoiseach. Patricia King said it straight and she spoke on behalf of hundreds of thousands of workers. She said that progress means nothing to many people. Economic indicators and financial figures mean absolutely nothing to those who are struggling. This recovery is false for them.

Yesterday the Taoiseach said he still wants to reduce the higher rate of tax but he was wishy-washy and non-committal when he mumbled about whether the minimum wage would increase. I take that as a "No". When people have to check their bank balance every couple of hours to make sure that bills are being paid, that is not wishy-washy That is final; it is certain. I doubt any member of the Government or any Member of this House has to do that.

If it is a real recovery, surely those who helped significantly in getting the country out of the mess can ask for a bit more. However, that is not the case. To ask for better conditions or an increase in pay is treated almost as treason. Let us consider the nurses and healthcare workers in their recent disputes.

Patricia King said yesterday that "workers' rights to bargain must be addressed as these powers had not advanced in more than 100 years". I know the Leader will come back with the old Fine Gael cry, saying that that is the private sector. Ms King also addressed the position of workers working on big State projects. She said: "Contractors awarded significant state contracts were facilitating precarious work, including bogus employment contracts which avoid tax".

During yesterday's debate on the Social Welfare Bill, most Members commended the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, on extending jobseeker's benefit to the self-employed. However, we also discussed at length the bogus employment contracts. The national children's hospital is the biggest health construction project in the history of the State. We know that many bogus self-employed construction workers are employed there - whether forced or by choice. I would like the Minister to come to the House to provide an update on that. Las Thursday, Unite organised a protest outside the gates from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., highlighting that the construction site of the shiny and much-needed new children's hospital is full of bogus self-employed workers. Surely we cannot stand over that and we need to tackle it. It is a cost on the public purse because they are not contributing what they should to the State.

We need to stop talking about recovery for workers. Today at 12.30 p.m., the paramedic branch of the PNA will hold a demonstration outside Leinster House ahead of the ambulance workers' 24-hour strike next week. I urge every Member to support them. It is about trade union recognition and the right to belong to a trade union of the workers' choice.