Written Answers. - Official Engagements.
Arthur Morgan
Ceist:
153
Mr. Morgan
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the number of times she met with representatives of trade unions since June 2002; the trade unions with which she met; and the matters discussed on each occasion.
[30031/03]
I meet with representatives of trade unions on a regular basis to discuss matters related to the business of my Department and of Government generally. In addition, I often meet with union representatives informally and socially at functions that I attend around the country. Not all such meetings are recorded in my diary as specifically being a meeting with union representatives. For example, the diary entry might name the official without naming the union or it might name a particular action group or larger delegation, without specifying the attendance of union representatives. It is, therefore, difficult to provide an exhaustive list of all meetings without conducting a thorough examination of all minutes of meetings held on a large number of files in my Department.
Matters I have discussed with union representatives would include the response to company closures, employment opportunities for workers, redundancy settlements, re-training of staff, new employment legislation, the minimum wage and general economic issues.
While I do not keep a comprehensive record of all of my meetings with union representatives for reasons I have explained, the following is a list of some of the meetings that I have had with them since June 2002 and which are readily identifiable from my diary: 25 July 2002, plenary PPF meeting, Dublin Castle; 12 September 2002, meeting with David Begg and other union officials regarding IFI; 31 October 2002, plenary PPF meeting, Dublin Castle; 18 November 2002 dinner for John McDonnell, former secretary general of SIPTU; 20 November 2002, meeting with ICTU, along with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance; 12 December 2002, meeting with a delegation, including union officials, from Comer International; 21 January 2003, meeting with a delegation, including union officials, regarding the closure of Square D; 20 February 2003, meeting with Jack Nash, Brendan Carr and Unilever workers; 27 February 2003, meeting with the workers of Square D, Ballinasloe; 7 May 2003, meeting with TEX TEC workers; 27 June 2003, meeting with a delegation, including union officials from CTM in the Headford Arms Hotel, Kells; 22 July 2003, meeting with Phil Ní Shéaghdha, industrial officer at the INO and a delegation regarding Peamount Hospital; 11 September 2003, meeting with a delegation from Glanbia Rooskey employment action group; 14 October 2003, dinner for Mr. Des Geraghty and union colleagues.
