Ivana Bacik (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that very full response and for his nice words to the gentleman in Sandymount. Of course, I would love to be able to continue this work elsewhere and I certainly would not stop doing it if I were fortunate enough to succeed in the by-election. If I was not in the Seanad, I would of course be out talking with people in Sandymount, Ringsend and everywhere else across Dublin Bay South but I am delighted to be here to debate these important amendments.

I take the Minister's point about the directive. The website being accessible to all is very welcome but the key aim of these amendments is to ensure that the voice of trade unions and collective representatives of workers is given a status or particular recognition in the Bill. That would be missing if the information were simply published on a website that is accessible to all. That website is very welcome in itself but these amendments seek to do something else. I will withdraw them at this point as I do not want to delay the Bill in any way. The point has been made and I am pleased to hear the Minister's response.