andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the report on plans for dealing with workers made redundant by rationalisation changes in industry and requiring retraining and replacement in alternative jobs will be available before the Summer Recess.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Redundant Workers.
25.
I do not expect to be in a position to make a statement on this subject before the summer recess.
Can the Minister tell us why there is this undue delay in the publication of these important recommendations in the light of the facts that the various CIO reports make it clear that there must be considerable redundancy and that if the proposals they put forward for the rationalisation of industry are to be put into operation, there must be the co-operation of the workers? How can you get the co-operation of the workers unless they know there will be redundancy payments, re-training grants, re-settlement grants and the other proposals suggested by the Minister?
The Deputy does not seem to be up to date with events. I told the Deputy on a previous occasion that two separate committees were considering the matter. One was a CIO sub-committee on redundancy: that has not yet reported. The other is a Departmental committee which has only just completed its study and submitted its reports to a committee of secretaries of Departments of State. I am not in a position, therefore, to publish reports which I have not yet received.
There has been a prolonged and undue delay in this matter and there must be uncertainty in the minds of the workers as to their future. Surely the Minister can take some steps to expedite publication of the report?
The activities of CIO are outside my control: I do not interfere with them. The House and the country know that CIO have been proceeding with very reasonable expedition in all their work——
——except in this one.
In this case, they have been doing so, too.