It is three weeks before Christmas and, unfortunately, one of the country's most popular department stores closed last Saturday as workers embarked on a one-day stoppage over pension rights. I understand we will see another stoppage at Marks and Spencer tomorrow. This is a no-win situation for the workers, the company and the general public. The company has a reputation for quality, not only in its products but also in terms of its record as an employer. The general perception is that Marks and Spencer is a good employer which respects its workers and provides them with decent terms and conditions. However, its decision to close the workers' defined benefit pension scheme, which it is now arguing is discretionary, flies in the face of that general perception. In September of last year discussions took place between the company, the Mandate trade union, SIPTU and the workers involved. A number of proposals were put by the company to the unions aimed at saving money and an assurance was given to the workers that what was on the table at that time was the full entirety of the savings plan. The company then unilaterally decided to close the defined benefit scheme which was a bombshell for the workers. We must stand in solidarity with the workers involved here and indeed, with the many other workers who are facing a crisis in their pensions. We saw what happened with workers at the ESB and Waterford Crystal.

If the Senator from the Labour Party wants to take exception to anything I have said, he is entitled to do so but I stand in solidarity with workers who are seeing their pension rights attacked by companies. We are talking, in many instances, about workers in low-paid jobs. The vast majority of those in the retail sector are low-paid workers. We are having this discussion on the same day that one of my colleagues, Senator Quinn, is introducing a Bill to the House that would essentially criminalise workers and their unions for taking strike action.

That is incorrect.

It criminalises some workers and we will have that debate later on. The intent of the Bill is to open up a discussion about all of these issues and I will take the opportunity this evening to air my views on the Bill. In the context of the industrial action at Marks and Spencer, I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on pensions because both public and private sector workers are very concerned about this issue. It is important that we debate the matter early in the new year.