asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to a statement made by the president of the Irish Exporters' Association; if he has received any request from him regarding the current bank strike; and, if so what action, if any, he proposes to take.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bank Dispute.
2.
I have seen a newspaper report of the statement referred to. Yesterday I received a copy of a resolution regarding the banks' dispute signed by, among others, the president of the Irish Exporters' Association. It was associated with a request to me to interview the presidents of a number of organisations to discuss the resolution.
I replied yesterday to the request, stating that I shared the concern of the organisations involved at the continuance of the banks' dispute. I drew attention to the fact that the Minister for Labour had asked the Labour Court to make a report to him pursuant to section 24 of the Industrial Relations Act, 1946, concerning the dispute. I stated that the Labour Court were treating the matter as one of urgency, that they had already met the Irish Bank Officials' Association, that they were yesterday meeting the banks' representatives, that the court hoped to report shortly to the Minister and that I was hopeful of a successful outcome of the Minister's initiative.
I concluded that, in the circumstances, I would regard it as inappropriate for me to receive the presidents of the organisations in question.
In general, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given yesterday in this House by the Minister for Labour to a question addressed to him on the matter.
While I understand the reluctance of the Taoiseach to become involved in this dispute, in view of the difficulties this prolonged bank strike or lock-out is causing to the economy, to industry and to practically every member of the community, and appreciating that this strike will eventually have to end, would the Taoiseach not consider intervening at this stage? It has been proved time and again that the present machinery for settling strikes is too slow, is too cumbersome——
We cannot have a speech on this question.
In view of the bad image being created of this country in the matter of strikes, would the Taoiseach not agree that in order to settle this dispute he might take some steps at this stage?
I have no intention, as the Minister said yesterday, to constitute myself into a court of appeal from the Labour Court.
The Government are not capable of dealing with any strike.
Is the Deputy suggesting that the bank strike should be put into a different category from any other strike—the cement strike, the ESB strike?
Will the Taoiseach not agree that the banks are actually making more money when they are closed and that this constitutes a definite barrier to efforts to achieve a settlement?
That is a separate question.
Does the Taoiseach not remember a successful intervention by him in a strike in the last five years when he was Minister for Industry and Commerce? I want to make it clear that we do not want the Government or any of the Ministers to interfere——
Is the Deputy suggesting that I should intervene in the bank dispute merely because it is the bank dispute?
I think the Taoiseach should.
I am not suggesting that the Taoiseach should override the authority or the machinery of the Labour Court. All I am asking is that when there is an impasse, as there was in the cement strike——
The machinery is there to overcome any impasse, not only in the Industrial Relations Act but in the agreement between the banks and their own staffs.
The Taoiseach does not rule out his intervention at a certain stage?
I am not going to intervene. I am not going to answer hypothetical questions. It is a matter for these people to get together as any sensible people would do.
The inter-Party Government intervened twice—in 1951 and 1956.
And they kicked our industrial relations legislation around this House. I will not do that.
The Labour Court has been in existence since 1946——
(Interruptions.)
Order. We cannot have a speech on this matter. Deputy Cosgrave.
The Taoiseach will appreciate that the most recent unwarranted interference was by the then Taoiseach, Deputy Lemass, in connection with the ninth round wage increase. Can the Taoiseach say whether this inquiry being conducted by the Labour Court is by the court itself or by an officer of the court?
The former Taoiseach never interfered in an industrial dispute. He suggested in the ninth round that the employers' and the workers' representatives should get together and work out a settlement, which they did.
When they were together he interfered.
He asked them to come together when they failed to agree. There was not a strike then.
I am calling Question No. 3.