Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Senator Craughwell makes a fair point as well. Miriam Lord's description of said civil servant as "the prince of permanent government" struck a bell. It is not acceptable for any civil servant to come in and react in that way. We have a right to ask questions and receive answers, and that did not happen yesterday.

The main issue I raise relates to a group of men called the Murphy 4. These four workers were based in Limerick at the Aughinish plant. They worked for Murphy International, a very well-known construction company that gained millions of taxpayers' money from public contracts in Ireland and in Britain, where its headquarters are. These men were sacked in a union-busting exercise. They had over 50 years of collective service at the plants. They are mechanical engineers, skilled men, and ordinarily very sought after, but strangely enough they have not been able to find work since. We know there is an established practice of blacklisting in the construction industry. I believe it is the reason these men, who have an impeccable work record, have been unable to find work since they were dismissed.