I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 66, 80, 81, 98 and 123 together.
The social partners have not reached agreement to a follow up to the report of the High Level Group on Trade Union Recognition. When completed, the report of the investigation into the Ryanair dispute may provide a basis for further consideration of this aspect of industrial relations.
The House should note that there has not been an increase over the past few years in the volume of trade union recognition disputes. However, I am aware of the importance being attached to recognition by the trade unions in the context of national economic and social partnership.
I would not want to pre-empt consideration of the report of the investigation into the Ryanair dispute nor indeed the full outcome of the recent Supreme Court case. I would remind the House that the voluntarist approach to industrial relations serves this country well in terms of national and social partnership, industrial relations at workplace level and investment in enterprise and jobs. Therefore, we must, where necessary and possible, encourage the social partners to continue the development of co-operative industrial relations by dialogue and by the pursuit of a problem-solving approach where this is appropriate.