Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand the amendment has been ruled out of order and I am disappointed. We spoke about meat factories earlier and we know there are real concerns about health, safety and welfare at work for our workers. The meat factory problem would be solved if trade union officials were allowed to go in to meat factories. I was a trade union official with SIPTU for ten years. With the exception of one factory in Nenagh, I was never allowed into factories. They would not have a trade union man or woman about the place.When I organised workers in factories in the Minister's constituency, they were sacked, summarily fired, because they joined a trade union. This is a massive problem. We are never going to get proper rights and conditions for working people, especially in the meat factory sector, but across a whole range of sectors, including hospitality, until we have a right of trade union officials to access workplaces. What on earth does any employer have to be afraid of in this respect? We will never tackle the crisis in employment. Nothing has changed in meat factories. How many meat factories recognise trade unions? I can count them on one hand. Many such businesses have their offices in the Isle of Man and other overseas locations. In many cases they are unlimited companies. They operate in a way that is entirely unacceptable and it needs to be called out. This was a simple amendment to give a right of access to trade union officials. I would have thought Senators from all parties should support that right, which is not set out in law currently, and does need to be addressed.