asked the Minister for Labour if in view of the serious situation which has arisen in Bord na Móna consequent on the strike by craftsmen which resulted in the issue last weekend of protective notice, due to expire today, to all workers, he will indicate the action he proposes to take to ensure that a settlement is reached as soon as possible.
Private Notice Question: - Bord na Móna Strike.
A senior member of the Labour Court Conciliation Service has presided over several meetings between the parties to this dispute. Meetings have also taken place between the parties themselves, up to and including yesterday afternoon.
Arising out of the Minister's reply which is most unsatisfactory in view of the fact that the board have a total work force of 5,400, is the Minister aware that this will affect the carriage of fuel to the ESB generating stations? They have only one week's stockpile and, if this is allowed to go ahead, it will have an effect also on the industrial community because they will not be able to generate electricity. Does the Minister not think that is a very serious matter?
I agree with the Deputy about the serious consequences for all the workers in the board if this matter is not settled between the parties involved in these negotiations. At their meeting yesterday afternoon one of the unions, the largest union in fact, were in favour of the proposals coming from that meeting. Another one of the unions were not in favour of the proposals. There is a certain difference of opinion between the craft unions involved in these negotiations. Our information is that contacts are continuing in an effort to resolve those differences. Negotiations are continuing and a point of settlement was almost reached yesterday.
My information is that all the negotiations have broken down. That is the information I had today at lunch hour. Is it not the Minister's duty to get both parties around a table to see if an agreement can be hammered out? There is no doubt——
Brevity please.
This is a very important matter.
I have allowed the Deputy some latitude.
It affects all the employees of the board and it will affect industry as well. In his capacity as Minister for Labour I am asking the Minister to bring the union officials and the Bord na Móna officials around a table. It is a very serious matter.
I agree fully with the Deputy's legitimate concern lest there be no settlement of this dispute which, as the Deputy rightly says, could seriously affect the board's activities at this high point in their seasonal activities. Although the negotiations have reached this critical point, there is an element of agreement. There is a certain division of opinion on the unions side about their approval or otherwise for certain of the proposals which emanated from the negotiations yesterday. The Labour Court have been involved in this matter from the beginning. I have been kept fully informed of developments there by the personnel of my monitoring unit who have been in close touch and I can assure the Deputy the matter will continue to have our very close attention. The negotiations are far from over as yet.
If the jobs of almost 5,000 workers are involved and if the supply of fuel to generating stations is threatened, this could be described as a national emergency. On what date did the new monitoring unit in the Minister's Department bring to the Minister's notice the seriousness of the situation?
The monitoring unit have been in touch with the situation since early in May and they have been in touch with the state of the negotiations.
I want to bring this question to finality and get on with the business of the House. This must be a final supplementary. This must conclude this matter. I have allowed a lot of latitude on it.
The question I asked was on what date did the monitoring unit——
Do we have to have repetition?
I did not get a reply.
That is not the fault of the Chair.
I appreciate that, but surely in a serious situation like this we are entitled to get a decent reply.
Let us not have argument. If the Deputy has a precise question will he please put it?
We have already seen the Government mess up one strike and we do not want another to be messed up. On what date did the monitoring unit report to the Minister that a serious situation was threatening in this station?
I can tell the Deputy a claim was served and a potentially serious situation existed since January since the claim was lodged. It is my practice to consult with the monitoring unit each week on disputes, and there are many around the country in any particular week.
What co-operation are the monitoring unit receiving?
Order. I must call the next business. The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper. We now come to item No.8.
Could I ask one final supplementary?
I am sorry Deputy. I have passed on to other business. There must be finality at some stage in these matters.
On a point of information, earlier on you were asked whether Question Time would be taken tomorrow and you said you did not know.
That is so.
Now you have said it will be taken.
I did not know at that time. I have consulted with the staff and they assure me questions will be taken tomorrow.
In that case I do not want written replies to mine.
We shall make the necessary adjustments in accordance with the Deputy's wishes.
In that case I do not require written answers to questions I have down today.
Nor I.
No. 8.
Would you allow me to finish? In view of the information you are now imparting, Sir, I wish to indicate to you that I do not require written answers to questions in my name other than the following, Nos. 126, 127, 128 and 129. I am asking for written replies to those questions and to no other question.
My office will be very pleased to facilitate Deputies in matters of that kind.