asked the Minister for Labour the role he sees for his Department or the Labour Court for settling industrial disputes to which a Minister is party.

12.

asked the Minister for Labour the efforts being made by his Department or the Labour Court to bring about a settlement of the postal dispute.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 30 together.

The resolution of disputes whether they be in the public or private sector is a matter, in the first instance, for the parties directly concerned. As I have emphasised many times in this House, it is important that all the agreed procedures be used to the full in order to achieve the settlement of disputes. In situations where such procedures have been fully used and have proved incapable of resolving a dispute in areas of serious public concern, I would be prepared to consider any initiatives open to me to help settle the matter in dispute.

As regards the postal dispute referred to by the Deputy, I am very concerned about the hardship and the difficulties for industry and the public arising from this dispute. It is a matter of regret that the action being taken by the union concerned breaches both the conciliation and arbitration scheme—to which the union is a party—and also the national wage agreement.

The Government cannot condone action of this kind. While the Government are anxious that a settlement should be reached as quickly as possible, a settlement will have to be one that, as well as being equitable, ensures the continued use of orderly means of resolving pay claims in the Civil Service.

Would the Minister not agree that here is a case in which there is a conflict of interest in his office in that he has to stand by a colleague in the Government and yet he has a duty to try to resolve disputes? Certainly the Labour Court which is under his aegis has that duty. Would the Minister therefore agree to give the Labour Court that independence which it ought to have so that it can involve itself in bringing about settlements of disputes of this nature?

The Deputy will appreciate that services do exist. As my colleague, the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, said in this House the essential point is that the Department are quite prepared to continue negotiations under agreed procedures at conciliation or, if the union wishes, the issue can be assessed by the independent arbitrator.

It is a fact that the dispute is now continuing and causing great inconvenience to everybody. But the Minister and his Department are compromised because another Minister is party to the dispute and no action whatever is being taken by the Department to resolve the dispute. Is the Minister satisfied that such a situation should be allowed to continue?

I said in my reply that the action being taken by the union concerned breaches both the conciliation and arbitration schemes to which the union is a party; it also breaches the national wage agreement. The Deputy must be aware of that. The union had talks last week with the Congress of Trade Unions and the Deputy will appreciate the situation that arose on that occasion when they were actually told that they were in breach of the national wages agreement.

While I accept what the Minister has said, that does not bring about a resolution of the dispute with which the House must be concerned. Whatever about the rights and wrongs as outlined by the Minister, is there no role for the Labour Court in bringing about a resolution of this dispute?

That is a repetition of the question. I have already explained to the Deputy the procedures that are available.

Is the Minister saying that the Minister for Labour and the Labour Court are irrelevant in serious disputes like this?

That is not the case.

That is the case and that is what the Minister is saying.

13.