Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I will start with that issue. The short answer on that is that I agree. I met with ICTU last week at the Labour Employer Economic Forum. It is not for me to speak for the unions but it is fair to say this was a very pressing issue for them. They are right to be. It is important that when unions are good enough to come to the table, some of the issues they highlight as a priority do get that sense of priority from the forum too. I have asked for intensive engagement between them and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister, Deputy Burke specifically on making progress for the next meeting of the LEEF. Now that the Deputy has raised it with me, I am happy to write to her on this.

I share the view on collective bargaining. It is very important in these times when vulnerable people, low-paid workers or others can seek to be exploited by those who seek to bring division that the trade union movement has a more important role than ever in helping to deliver standards in the way they do and on which they have a proud record. On this I agree with the Deputy. We are committed to transposing the EU directive and I will write to her with further details on that.

Deputy O’Sullivan raised skin cancer and the danger of sun beds; I agree. It is a statement of fact that they are dangerous. The evidence on skin cancer is pretty categoric. Going back to my memory from my time as Minister for Health, measures were taken relating to banning them for children and so on but that is nowhere near adequate in terms of where we need to get to. I will seek the view of the Minister for Health whose policy responsibility it is but I am certainly in support of taking more action here on advancing our national cancer strategy’s objectives and keeping our population healthy from a cancer perspective.

On Deputy Ó Murchú’s question, I meeting the credit union movement at 4.30 p.m. and will raise the issue he raised with me. I did not catch the name of the first credit union because there was noise. It is Clogherhead-----

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