Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has received the recommendation, as threatened by management by letter to each worker, that money due under benchmarking in June 2005 be withheld from Fáilte Ireland staff; and if he has responded to defuse this row at such a crucial time of the year for the industry. [16323/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that in accordance with the terms of the verification process in place under Sustaining Progress the chief executive of Fáilte Ireland has decided that he is not a position at this point in time to recommend payment of the benchmarking and general round payments to certain staff in the organisation which fall due for payment from 1 June 2005. This is on the basis that he does not consider that sufficient progress has been made in the implementation of the agency's agreed action plan under Sustaining Progress with regard to the commitment to full co-operation to the transfer of functions between the properties of the organisation.

This decision arises out of the procedures agreed by the parties to Sustaining Progress and in accordance with these procedures it is a matter for decision by the chief executive officer concerned. As the machinery for dealing with such matters is set out in Sustaining Progress I consider that it would not be appropriate for me to intervene.