I request leave to move the adjournment of the Dáil for the purpose of discussing the following matter of urgent public importance, the denial by an American company to its Irish employees at Shannon of the hard-won right of association in a trade union; its refusal to openly negotiate with the Irish Transport and General Workers Union and its disregard for the constitutional obligations placed upon it to recognise Irish trade unionism as the established method whereby our workers are represented in industry; the fact that this flagrant violation of accepted procedures by the company in question is taking place, although Irish workers have by enactment of Dáil Éireann shared in the cost of assistance and facilities made available to industrialists at Shannon; and the fact as well that the denial of trade union recognition at Shannon will, if permitted, represent a serious threat by non-Irish concerns to organised workers in all parts of Ireland.
Request to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 29.
I thank Deputy Dunne for having given me notice yesterday of his intention to request leave to move the adjournment of the Dáil on a definite matter of urgent public importance. As Deputies are aware, the precedents of the House require that to be urgent as described in Standing Order 29 the matter must be of such a nature that any delay in discussing it might prevent effective action being taken. I have considered the Deputy's request carefully and I have come to the conclusion that the matter does not satisfy this requirement of urgency. I must, therefore, rule that the motion is not one contemplated by Standing Orders.
With respect, I should like to put to you that this is, in fact, a matter of grave and urgent importance, that it does urgently concern the rights of Irish workers in every part of Ireland, that it does not permit of delay in being attended to and that there is laid upon this democratically elected Parliament the duty to provide facilities for Members to express openly and freely their views in regard to situations of this kind which are plainly harmful to the interests of Irish workers. I want to ask, a Cheann Comhairle, that you reconsider your decision on this matter and to point out to you that a rigid interpretation of the Standing Order was hardly the intention of those who framed it, and whether it was or not, it cannot be said that such interpretation of the Standing Order is in consonance with democratic procedure anywhere. I want to put to you further——
We cannot have a discussion on the Chair's ruling.
This Parliament is either for discussion or it is not, and I want to insist on my rights both as a member of this union and as a representative of the workers in this House, to draw attention——
I have said that we cannot have any discussion on the matter.
I am being denied——
The Deputy may not make a speech. The Chair has already ruled on the Deputy's application.
I am not trying to make a speech. I am trying to put considerations to the Chair as to why it should permit this matter to be discussed today in the Dáil. Matters of infinitely less importance will be discussed and I would ask that the Chair should reconsider its decision in this and should provide me and other Members of the House with the opportunity which I seek, which is to state the full facts regarding this attempt at dictatorship in regard to Irish workers at Shannon.
The Chair has given its ruling. Deputy Dunne will not proceed along those lines. I would ask him to resume his seat.
I regret that you are leaving me no alternative——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
——but to insist on my right as a Deputy here to speak on behalf of the workers.
The Chair will not be challenged in this fashion. I am asking the Deputy to resume his seat. The Chair has given every consideration to the Deputy's request and has ruled in the context of the Standing Order. There can be no further discussion on the matter at this stage.
There will be a discussion on this. I am insisting on my right to discuss it, and I am availing of this opportunity to demonstrate to the Dáil and the public——
The Deputy will not take this opportunity.
——how matters of this kind can be stifled and are being stifled by Standing Orders.
There are other channels for discussing this matter.
The only channel available to me is Dáil Éireann, and Dáil Éireann is either a democratic Assembly or it is not. If we cannot talk here about employers from outside coming in and denying rights which Irish workers suffered so much to establish, then this is not a democratic Assembly.
The Deputy will resume his seat. He is most disorderly.
I am very concerned about this.
The Deputy may not discuss the matter now.
It is with great regret that I say I cannot accept your ruling in this matter.
Are you aware, Sir, that this matter was raised by the union concerned with the Minister for Industry and Commerce last October?
There can be no further discussion.
If you were provided with evidence, a Cheann Comhairle, that at least two other nonnational firms have dismissed their employees for joining a trade union within the last week or so because of what has happened in Shannon, would you reconsider the matter?
The matter may not be discussed.
This General Electric firm at Shannon have an evil record in America in this regard, as can be checked; they do not believe in trade unionism. We are going to make them believe in it, because they are in Ireland now and they will have to accept the Irish way of life. I am insisting on my right to have this matter discussed.
The Deputy will get a suitable and relevant opportunity of discussing it, if he wishes to.
Would the Chair suggest when I will get it?
I am calling No. 1, Report of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I want to insist on my right to press for a debate of this matter in Dáil Éireann. It is a question of principle, the principle of whether an Irish worker may join a union and whether that union may negotiate for him. Maybe it does not suit some of you, but I want to see that this principle is observed and I intend to do that.
I would ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
It is with regret that I have to disobey your ruling in order to get some semblance of democracy into this Chamber, but I insist on doing it.
Since the Deputy refuses to obey the Chair, I would ask him to leave the House.
I refuse to leave the House, as a protest. I refuse to be intimidated into silence by this cartel which has invaded Shannon and which is bringing dissension into the countryside there.
I am now naming Deputy Dunne for disobedience to the Chair's ruling.
It is again with regret that I have to perform this function, knowing that the Deputy who is being named has contrived it in trying to move this motion. I think the Deputy should know that the Labour Court which was set up under the Industrial Relations Act is in Limerick today investigating this matter. I regret, therefore, that I have to move the naming of Deputy Dunne.
That is the usual snide, unmanly remark from the Taoiseach. If you read your kept newspaper, you would see that this company proposes not to recognise the Labour Court. You will see that if you look at the front page of the Irish Press.