Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 470: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the industrial action being engaged in by staff of the Building and Allied Trades Union over the past two months; the action she will take to help resolve the dispute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26578/08]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The system of industrial relations in Ireland is essentially voluntary in nature. The State has established a number of institutions to assist in the resolution of trade disputes between employers and workers, including the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission. The experience and expertise of these bodies are available free of charge to disputing parties.

The parties may utilise the expert services of the State's dispute settling machinery to assist them. The experience and expertise of these services offer the best avenue for resolving the differences between disputing parties. Where the parties make full use of these procedures the evidence shows that a very high percentage of disputes are resolved through the conciliation process. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parties to a trade dispute to ensure that a resolution to the dispute is achieved.