asked the Minister for Finance why he did not appoint a workers' representative as one of the four recently appointed nominees of Taiscí Stáit Teoranta to the board of a Cork brewery company (name supplied).
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Brewery Company Board Nominee.
18.
The persons nominated to the board were selected by Taiscí Stáit Teoranta on the basis of their business experience and general suitability. I saw no reason to object to the choice of nominee directors in this case.
Would the Minister reply to the question asked? Why did he not appoint a workers' representative as one of the four?
Is the Minister aware that the workers in this particular brewery have deplored the sentiments expressed by Deputy Desmond last Thursday in relation to a similar question?
Is that a question?
With regard to Deputy Desmond's supplementary I think I have replied to the question, and with regard to Deputy French's supplementary the answer is, "Yes, I am so aware". In fact, I have seen a copy of a letter signed by the respective chairmen of the No. 2 and No. 4 branches of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union which was sent by them to the chairman of the company concerned. In it they said:
We have been instructed by the Members of the No. 2 and No. 4 Branches of the ITGWU attached to Murphy's Brewery to bring to your attention how much we deplore the irresponsible remarks made by Mr. Barry Desmond in the Dáil on Thursday, 28th October.
We wish to disassociate ourselves completely from the sentiments expressed by Mr. Desmond and to assure you that we welcomed wholeheartedly the appointment of each of the new Directors.
In our opinion, instead of trying to make cheap political capital out of this matter, Mr. Desmond would be better employed in encouraging his co-trade unionists in Cork to support local industry.
If Deputy Desmond was in touch with the workers in Cork he would not have made that mistake.
May I ask the Minister by what stretch of imagination— whether concocted letters or otherwise —the composition of the board appointed by the Minister represents the workers' interests in this particular company in accordance with, I would inform the Minister, the policy of the National Executive Council of the ITGWU rather than inspired correspondence by Deputy French?
The appointments that were made were made in the best interests of the firm and, therefore, of the workers concerned. It is clear from what I have said that the workers concerned believe that is so. If Deputy Desmond does not believe it, it is simply further evidence that he and his colleagues are very much out of touch with the workers of the country.
I am calling question No. 19.
May I ask the Minister how he reconciles his appointment——
I have already called Question No. 19.