asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will call a conference of hotel owners, hotel workers, the tourist boards and taxi representatives to consider the best means to bring to an end the hotels dispute which has caused considerable injury to the tourist trade and its important subsidiaries for the past six months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Settlement of Hotels Dispute.
Mr. Byrne
I am not prepared to call the conference suggested by the Deputy. In my opinion such a conference would not assist towards an early settlement of the dispute.
Mr. Byrne
Would the Minister see if the Government or any of the heads of their Departments will take some steps to bring to an end the hotel strike and the Córas Iompair Éireann strike? Surely they are not going to sit back and let this matter drift for another six months with serious harm to the country, to business people, to taxi drivers and all those who are dependent on the tourist trade. One or two individuals on either side should not be allowed to hold up the hotel industry or the Córas Iompair Éireann electricians.
There is no mention of Córas Iompair Éireann in this question.
Of course, everybody deplores the situation both in the hotel field and in the other field to which the Deputy alludes, but the question is what exactly can be done. The Dáil set up the Labour Court to go into all matters in dispute and to give an award. That was done in this case.
Mr. Byrne
Is the matter to drift? Will the Minister not consider the advisability of going into it himself? The Tánaiste did say on a previous occasion that if invited by both sides he would consider what could be done. I think both sides should be made come together and invite the Minister if not the head of the State himself to come in and settle the dispute.
The Minister cannot duplicate the work which the Labour Court was set up to do. It was to take the Minister out of these disputes that the Dáil set up the Labour Court. The Deputy must be aware that certain private individuals are negotiating with both sides with a view to trying to get an amicable settlement of the dispute.