asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he or any of his departmental officials have made, or will make at an early date, efforts to bring to an end the apparent deadlock that has arisen in connection with the Dublin hotels and restaurants dispute.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Hotels and Restaurants Dispute.
Mr. Byrne
I understand that if parties to this dispute desire to secure a settlement by negotiation, the good offices of the Labour Court or of its conciliation officers will be available, if required.
Mr. Byrne
The Labour Court has already dealt with the matter and its recommendation proved unsatisfactory to one of the parties. Is there no way, when a deadlock arises, of having the matter reopened by the Minister's Department, as in the old days?
There is no means by which people can be compelled to enter into negotiations, and, if they do, to agree. If there is a desire amongst the parties here to come together to negotiate a settlement, the Labour Court assure me that they will be only too glad to facilitate them.
Mr. Byrne
But the Minister is aware that one of the recommendations of the Labour Court was that the workers must go back to work before the employers would agree to negotiate with them. Is it not a very unfair condition to impose on workers when they come out on strike in order to try to bring their grievances to a head that the Labour Court should say: "Go back to work and your employers will then deal with it"?
I have no obligation to defend any recommendation of the Labour Court. I think there is a question of the interpretation of that part of its recommendation.