Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his input. SAs will be aware of the fact that I am here and that this matter is before the House morning. If I am not misinterpreting what the Minister said, once the commission makes up its mind and comes to him with a proposal he will be willing to look at it and is anxious to have this matter resolved as quickly as possible. Going back to my time as a teacher, a union activist and the president of a union, it always annoyed me terribly that the State was the most difficult body of all to deal with when it came to resolving matters before the WRC or the Labour Court. I recall on one occasion having to go to the courts against an education authority in order to get enforcement. The Cathaoirleach is a member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. I hope that this matter will go before the commission at its next meeting, that a proposal will go to the Minister before Christmas and that we will have this matter resolved once and for all. Failing that, I will try my damnedest in the new year to ensure that no legislation is dealt with in this House until this matter is addressed. It is more than three years since I discussed this at the commission. It is absolutely ridiculous that, three years later, we have to invite the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform into the House to try to resolve the matter. That said, I appreciate him coming here this morning and I think what he has said is positive. I look forward to the commission acting on his input.