Security workers have not had a pay rise since 2019. An employment regulation order, ERO, to increase their pay and conditions has been challenged for a second time by three security companies. Some of these companies have extremely lucrative contracts with the State. On the one hand, the companies are negotiating multimillion euro contracts with the State, while on the other, they are doing their utmost to deny decent pay and conditions to their workers, who are delivering on these contracts with the State. I ask for an update on the Government's defence of the ERO on behalf of security workers. Are there plans to consider whether further contracts should be negotiated with these companies? Their workers deliver contracts on behalf of the State, while the same workers watch on as these companies take the Government, essentially, to court to deny workers the pay rise they deserve.

State contracts are issued in accordance with European Union procurement law. There is very little the State can do to cherry-pick who gets or does not get a contract. There are times when local authorities, states or even governments might like to do that, but then you are down a slippery slope. We urge that EROs not be challenged in the manner this one is being challenged. I will come back to the Deputy on a specific update. I will get information and communicate it to her as to where we are now.