Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Like several other Senators, I wish to raise the issue of Ulster Bank. It is particularly concerning that 2,400 good jobs may be lost. There may be significant implications for mortgage holders and small businesses across the State. I was not encouraged by listening to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, this morning. He seemed to be speaking in terms of a hands-off approach. I hope that will not be the case. There was a more encouraging response from the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar, yesterday in terms of the need to build a third banking force in the country. A point made very eloquently this morning by Deputy Pearse Doherty is that the State has a real say in this because it is the majority owner of AIB and PTSB. As such, the Minister for Finance is in a unique position, as a result of the powers he has at his disposal, to build that third banking force. The State did not have those controls before the previous crash but it has them now and it needs to use them. To adopt a laissez-faireapproach on this issue would be disastrous for all concerned. I call for a debate on this matter.

I wish to raise the issue of Iconic Newspapers. Many Senators will be familiar with that particular brand which owns titles across the country, including the Limerick Leaderin my neck of the woods. I am very concerned that it has laid off 16 editorial staff in recent weeks and cut the weekly working hours of 20 other journalists. The key point is that was done without negotiation. All present appreciate the challenges the newspaper industry is currently facing. I certainly support calls for creative Government intervention to ensure the survival of local newspapers and independent local radio. The key point is that collective bargaining is essential in this situation. Unfortunately, Iconic Newspapers is refusing to speak to the National Union of Journalists, NUJ, which represents the staff in question. I hope that all colleagues will join me in calling on Iconic Newspapers to engage with its workforce and the union to ensure proper progress on these issues and challenges.

Of course, I would not need to make the call for collective bargaining between the NUJ and Iconic Newspapers if there was a statutory right to collective bargaining in this country. As colleagues are aware, such a right does not exist. I call for a debate on the whole issue of collective bargaining because I am concerned, as are many in the trade union movement, about the decision of the Tánaiste to write to the EU Commission to lobby for the new EU directive in respect of minimum wages and collective bargaining to be watered down such that it will not be legally binding. I note a letter sent by Mandate Trade Union to the Tánaiste earlier this week. It stated that his stance on this issue is totally unacceptable and can only be seen as an abdication of moral and political responsibility towards some of the most vulnerable workers in our society. It is not good enough to speak about collective bargaining and say workers have these rights when it has not been acknowledged that Ireland is one of the few countries that does not have a statutory right to collective bargaining. I would like to hear from all parties on this issue. For example, does Fianna Fáil go along with the view of the Tánaiste that we should water down this crucial EU directive to give rights to every worker in the country to have collective bargaining in his or her workplace?