asked the Minister for Labour if he proposes as a matter of urgency to take steps to bring about a settlement of the Dublin bus dispute in view of the severe hardship being caused to the public?
Private Notice Questions. - Dublin Bus Dispute.
The disruption of the Dublin bus services arises from unofficial industrial action taken by certain workers in CIE and I understand that the ICTU have convened a meeting of the CIE shop workers' trade union group for this afternoon with a view to affecting a resumption of work. The case of the workers concerned was the subject of a hearing in the Labour Court and I have been advised that the court will issue their recommendation very shortly. In the circumstances it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the matter.
Can we have an assurance that the Minister will address himself to the problems that continue to cause disruptions in the Dublin bus services with a view to obviating these problems and, consequently, to preventing disruptions of the services and the consequent inconvenience to the public?
I share the Deputy's concern regarding the disruption of the Dublin bus services and I condemn the unofficial action that has led to the present dispute. The Labour Court recommendation will issue in a few days but in fact the recommendation is the result of a Labour Court hearing of as recent a date as 23 November.
The Minister has said that the Labour Court recommendation will issue in a few days——
It will issue shortly.
May we take that to mean that it will issue today or tomorrow or must the public be left without a bus service for another few days?
As I have said, the ICTU are meeting this afternoon with those trade unions whose members are involved in this unofficial action. This meeting is for the purpose of trying to bring about a resumption of work. While I appreciate the urgency of the Labour Court recommendation, one must bear in mind that it is not useful from the point of view of the industrial relations scene or of the country as a whole or, indeed, of the Labour Court, that the Labour Court should be presented with a gun-to-head situation by unofficial industrial action. That undermines all the institutions of our society.
While I share the Minister's view completely regarding unofficial disputes, I should be very concerned that the Minister would seek the consensus which I believe exists both in this House and outside it in regard to legislative action, if necessary, to deal with unofficial disputes. I am inviting the Minister to do something in this regard.
The remaining Questions will appear on the Order Paper for the next sitting day.