Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Fine Gael)

I echo the sentiments of many Members today in wishing everybody the best of luck over the recess. There is lots of work to be done elsewhere, but thank you to all the staff here in the Seanad, the ushers and everybody who has looked after us so well, particularly us newbies just getting used to everything.

There is a group of workers here in Leinster House who face into a lot of uncertainty over the recess. The broadcast workers for Oireachtas TV face going onto social welfare while we are going into recess. Everything is very unstable and uncertain for them. Not only that, but the pay they receive is far below industry rates, even though the likes of RTÉ, Virgin Media, TG4 and others use their footage. It is broadcast quality. Speaking as a former broadcaster, it is the best of work that is being done by those broadcast workers. The contract with the provider of Oireachtas TV is up this year, and it is high time the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission looked at the contract because these workers are doing amazing work. None of us would have social media clips either without the work being done in these Houses by Oireachtas TV staff. I just want that marked as we enter recess and as our colleagues in the broadcast unit look at going on social welfare for the recess. It is time we supported them. As the contract is up for renewal, now is the time to do as much as we can to get them onto industry standards and the rights they deserve.