I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 44, 61 and 65 together.
Under our system of industrial relations, which is voluntary in nature, it is generally a matter for the parties to disputes to arrive at mutually acceptable solutions. The State facilitates this process by providing machinery, such as the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court, to assist the parties. In keeping with the voluntary nature of the system, their role is not one of imposing settlements or of coercing one or other side to adopt a particular solution. Unless and until there is a willingness on both sides to reach a settlement, a resolution of any dispute will not be possible.
In the case of the recent dispute in the associated banks, both the Labour Relations Commission and the court played a very active and full role in helping to find a solution. The Labour Court recommendation was not at first acceptable to the IBOA but, following clarification, it formed the basis on which the dispute was resolved. The Minister for Labour is satisfied that the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court have played and will continue to play an important and effective role in industrial relations.