I move: That Dáil Éireann: recognises that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is putting significant pressure on workers and their families as inflation continues to increase, eroding living standards and affordability for workers; notes that: — overall employment figures mask that one quarter of jobs in Ireland are considered "poor quality", characterised by low pay, insecurity, and poor working conditions; — the findings of the 2026 Ireland Thinks poll, commissioned by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), found that 52 per cent of workers do not believe they are paid fairly for the work that they do, and the figure is higher for women and people on lower incomes; and — according to the Working In Ireland Survey 2026, 44 per cent of workers in Ireland that are not currently in a union would like to join one; further notes that Ireland is an outlier in the European Union (EU), in not providing workers a statutory right to collective bargaining, and lags behind other EU member states in respect of paid statutory annual leave; acknowledges: — the ICTU "Quality Employment and Good Jobs: The first steps to a new economic model" policy document; and — that the Northern Ireland Minister for the Economy, Caoimhe Archibald MLA, is currently proposing a good jobs Bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly, which represents the most significant piece of workers' rights legislation since devolution, and the European Commission is proposing a quality jobs roadmap; affirms that trade union membership and collective bargaining have been shown to increase pay, productivity and employee retention, as well as having positive macroeconomic benefits; condemns that, despite strong economic growth, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Government Independents have rowed back on previous pledges to increase the statutory sick pay, and has delayed the move to a living wage until 2029; and calls on the Government to: — provide a legal right to collective bargaining through a union; — provide unions with legal access to the workplace; — bring the minimum wage into line with the living wage, and reverse the decision to delay its introduction until 2029; and — increase access to flexible and remote working arrangements for employees. I welcome the opportunity this evening during Trade Union Week to bring forward Sinn Féin's motion on strengthening workers' rights. I was delighted to work alongside colleagues from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on this motion and to host their representatives in the audiovisual room earlier today for a briefing on their quality employment and good jobs policy document. That was Owen Reidy, Neil McGowan from SIPTU, and John Regan, the chair of the Meath Council of Trade Unions, along with my former Seanad colleague, Paul Gavan. I want to welcome members from the trade union movement to the Public Gallery to follow tonight's debate. I acknowledge all the great work that has been done in that area, including to create a new, sustainable, economic model that meets many of the challenges we are facing today and that will bring us to a better future. The purpose of this motion is twofold: to support workers through this cost-of-living crisis and to increase collective bargaining coverage across Ireland. The reality facing workers is becoming increasingly difficult. Workers have never worked so hard and struggled so much. Across the country, people are doing everything right: working long hours, contributing to their communities and keeping our economy moving yet still finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Despite strong economic growth and the prospect of even larger budget surpluses this year, far too many workers are being left behind. Wages are being steadily eroded by soaring fuel costs, rising energy bills and everyday expenses that continue to climb. The cost-of-living crisis has not gone away. It is persistent and placing enormous pressure on working people and their families. Workers are putting in more effort than ever before yet many feel undervalued and underpaid, and they are right. The Government's decision to delay the introduction of the living wage until 2029 sends an entirely wrong signal to workers. It tells them that their struggles can wait, but workers cannot wait and their families cannot wait. Relief is needed now, not years down the line. The delay is simply not acceptable. We must look beyond headline employment figures. While employment levels may appear strong, they mask a deeper and more troubling reality. One in four jobs in Ireland is considered low-quality, characterised by low pay, insecurity and poor conditions. This is not good enough. Unions will tell you how poor job quality leads to burnout, ill-health and lower productivity. Fair pay, progression options, predictable hours, training opportunities, a voice in the workplace and a strong work-life balance all lead to greater productivity and improve competitiveness. Workers must be paid fairly, young and old, and across every sector. The evidence is clear. The 2026 Ireland Thinks poll commissioned by ICTU found that 52% of workers did not believe they were paid fairly for the work they did. That figure cannot be ignored. Ireland continues to lag behind much of the European Union when it comes to workers' rights, particularly in relation to collective bargaining coverage. Only around one third of workers are currently covered, leaving far too many without a meaningful voice in their workplace. Recent announcements of potential job cuts at Facebook and Covalen serve as a stark reminder of how vulnerable workers can be without strong union protections. Strengthening collective bargaining is not just about fairness, but also delivering better pay, better conditions and a stronger, more productive economy. That is why Sinn Féin is bringing forward this motion. The motion calls on the Government to reverse the delay of the national living wage, to legislate for a legal right to collective bargaining through trade unions and, above all, to ensure that unions have legal access to workplaces. I am sick and tired of workers telling me that they have to meet in cafés and places where they will not be known to discuss their workers' rights with unions. The motion also calls for the expansion of access to flexible and remote working arrangements, supporting a better work-life balance and reducing costs for workers. These are practical and achievable measures that would make a real difference in people's lives. This motion reflects the growing frustration among workers but also reflects a clear and constructive path forward. Today was an opportunity for us in this House to listen to unions and act on behalf of workers. Instead, the Government has produced an amendment that ignores all our calls, points the finger of blame elsewhere and will fail to deliver meaningful improvements to collective bargaining coverage across this country. I commend my colleague in the North, Caoimhe Archibald, for the good jobs Bill. We need to have uniformity across the island for what we are trying to achieve here.

Sentiment score: 0.01

I thank all my colleagues for their contributions. I have to say I am dismayed to see the lack of Government speakers on this important issue tonight. It does not bode well. It sends a message out to workers that there is nothing more to see here. I am really disappointed. I thank all of the Opposition for their contributions. I acknowledge the work of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the engagement we had earlier today. Its contribution reflected the lived reality of workers across the State and their voices deserved to be heard. Our motion was grounded in two simple but urgent priorities: supporting workers through the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and expanding collective bargaining so workers have a real voice in the workplace. I will address a couple of points. This nonsense that there is no constitutional or legal impediment which prevents parties who wish to exercise their right to collective bargaining from freely doing so shows how out of touch the Government is with the reality of the way workers are treated when they try to access a union. Without having that legal provision there, it will not work and has not worked. There are companies that have branches in other jurisdictions which have that legal right to access trade unions. It is not right. It shows companies are well able to do that. I want to also address the position of small and medium businesses because we all care about competitiveness. That is why, in our alternative budget, Sinn Féin provided for a PRSI rebate to address those issue and to address the inequity where small employers may need an extra bit of help. There is a surplus in the National Training Fund. We just need a bit of imagination. However, we must collectively agree that everyone has to have access to a union and legal access to a union. That will not go away so my message to the Government tonight is that everyone should have a legal right to access a union.

Sentiment score: 0.11