asked the Minister for Labour if it is his policy not to intervene in industrial disputes even as a last resort.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Disputes.
17.
I have already outlined my policy on Ministerial intervention in industrial disputes on many occasions. As recently as 5 December last, I stated in this House that frequent Ministerial interventions could only lead in the long-term to a debasement of our existing structures and the addition of another rung on the negotiation ladder and that my concern at all times would be to uphold the institutions which have been provided for the settlement of disputes. Since taking office, I have held consistently to this policy. At the same time, I have never ruled out the possibility that it might be desirable, in the public interest, to intervene in a situation where serious hardship was being caused to the community and where all the machinery available to the parties for settling the dispute had failed. I have intervened in a number of disputes, as the Deputy is no doubt aware.
Will the Minister tell the House the disputes in which he intervened?
I can tell the Deputy of a few cases.
Tell us about all the disputes.
That does not arise. The Minister is not obliged to answer something that is not in the question.
The Minister in his reply referred to a number of disputes in which he intervened. Will he tell us about those disputes?
I have no hesitation in answering the Deputy. I hope he has taken note of the content of my reply. I will tell the Deputy if I am permitted by the Chair.
If the Minister wishes to reply he may do so, but I wish to point out that I do not want to encourage supplementary questions that are only remotely connected with the question. This can lead to an interminable discussion of matters not connected with the question.
Will the Minister give further information?
I intervened with my colleague, the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, in the Post Office engineering dispute, in the Irish Shell dispute, in the bus dispute, in the Ferenka dispute to which the Deputy has referred, as well as invoking section 24 of the Industrial Relations Act on quite a number of other occasions.
The Minister intervened in four or five disputes in the past 20 months. How many disputes have there been?
I am calling the next question. This could keep on for a long time.
The Minister is presiding over industrial chaos and he is doing nothing about it.
Order. I have called the next question.
I can tell the Deputy he likes to incite that kind of industrial trouble, both inside and outside the House.
The Minister is the greatest disaster since Caligula——
The Deputy should not be so silly. He is the cause of the greatest amount of incitement.
The Minister is doing nothing and he knows nothing.
Question No. 18.