Ryanair disruption and workers' rights
Bríd Smith complains about major Ryanair disruption and asks when legislation will protect workers’ rights. The Taoiseach says a Topical Issue debate will be held, clarifies the Belgian pilots case does not require Irish legislation, and says law on zero-hour and if-and-when contracts will be published before year end.
In the past week, we have seen serious disruption to transport with at least 350,000 people discommoded because of the actions of the Ryanair boss. I am very interested to see that there has not been a word from this House about these levels of disruption when one would think the sky was going to fall in when there is a strike in Bus Éireann or Dublin Bus. There has not been one word on what is going on in Ryanair. When are we going to see legislation before the House to protect workers' rights and bring them up to European levels where the courts have ruled that Belgian pilots are entitled to have their grievances heard in Belgium rather than Dublin because labour laws here are so lax? When are we going to see protection for workers who endure bogus self-employment contracts and have no access to trade union recognition? When will the Government challenge the likes of Ryanair, whose boss it has sitting at its pre-budget dinners and eulogises as one of the most decent businessmen in the country? When are we going to deliver some rights for workers to undermine this absolute abuse which is causing massive disruption to transport?
Comment on this
I am not sure what pre-budget dinner the Deputy is referring to but I was not at it anyway.
Comment on this
You were. You were there last year.
Comment on this
It was before he became Taoiseach.
Comment on this
The Deputy referred to a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union saying pilots in Belgium have recourse to Belgian law. Obviously, that does not require legislation in this country. The point of the judgment was that the pilots can access the courts in the country they work from and reside in. That does not require legislation here as our laws do not apply in Belgium.
In relation to workers' rights, we will publish legislation before the end of the year specifically on the issue of zero-hour and if-and-when contracts to ensure that people have a better idea of the hours they will work from week to week. That is included as a priority in the legislative programme published last week.