asked the Minister for Labour whether, as the fire dispute in Dublin city enters its third week, he is considering any further initiatives to achieve a settlement.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Fire Dispute.
30.
This dispute began on Friday, 22 January. Several days of intensive discussion under the chairmanship of an industrial relations officer of the Labour Court failed to resolve the dispute. I would emphasise that discussions continued in the Labour Court right up until the morning the dispute commenced.
I have been keeping in constant touch with events. A considerable gap exists between the parties which has resulted in a complete stalemate. Talks are scheduled to take place this afternoon under an industrial relations officer of the Labour Court. I take this opportunity to say I hope that both sides in today's talks will spare no effort in exploring every avenue which might help solve this dispute.
May I ask the Minister to confirm that it is an entire coincidence that these discussions in the Labour Court are taking place on the day on which the question appears on the Order Paper, and after nothing had happened for three weeks? I am sure the Minister will give that assurance wholeheartedly. With regard to the commencement of the dispute, what was the Minister's role in the hours leading up to the commencement of the strike? Specifically, what attempts did he make to make contact with the trade union involved and what proposals, if any, had he attempted to put to the parties?
In reply to the first part of the question, I should like to be able to say to the Deputy that I had been instrumental in getting today's talks going, but I cannot claim credit for that. It is purely due to the efforts of the conciliation officer. I wish him well in his efforts. He has been keeping the matter under review for the last few weeks and is still making endeavours. It is a very difficult position. The Deputy raised this question before. On the evening and night of the commencement of the dispute, I had no involvement whatever in trying to resolve it. I was subsequently told that perhaps some fire officers in Tara Street Fire Brigade Station told Deputy Birmingham that I was in discussions on that night. In actual fact, I was in the Jesuits' College of Theology and Philosophy, talking about the Dublin Millenium.
Good God.
I would have liked to have been doing something to resolve the dispute, but it had been made very clear to me that morning that nothing that would happen that day would resolve it. Consequently I took no part whatsoever and made no proposals.
A final supplementary question from Deputy Birmingham.
I am flabbergasted. Far be it from me to put any impediment in the way of the Minister's attempts to acquire a Jesuitical education at this stage. There is a belief on the part of both negotiating teams that there were proposals being hatched within the Department of Labour which were intended to be put before them in the hours leading up to the strike. There is the belief that if those proposals could be considered, progress could be made, but those proposals seem to have got lost. May I ask the Minister if there were proposals being put together, and if so, what is their status now?
The only thing I can think of that the Deputy might mean is that some fire officers, independently of the talks, spoke to me some days before the dispute and made suggestions. In the normal course I have been talking to some of the trade union leaders involved but none of those proposals came to fruition. That is the position.
I wish the conciliation officer well and hope some solution to this very serious strike may be found within the next few days.