I was on The Tonight Sow 21.7.21. The clips here are mainly of the points I made about re-opening hospitality in the face of the rising Covid cases. We’ve come so far, and its been so hard on people. We’ve had the longest lockdown in Europe and we can’t face more. For the sake of another few weeks, till everyone who wants to is vaccinated, why jeopardise public health and an exhausted health service, by opening up too soon.

Migrant workers are often exploited by unscrupulous employers. It does them, and Irish workers, nothing but harm, because the rate for job becomes the race to the bottom, and only the employer wins. The State makes the process of getting and renewing work permits very difficult, and leaves migrant worker’s vulnerable. Our Bill, presented today, wants to ensure migrant workers rights. As the old trade union slogan goes: AN INJURY TO ONE, IS AN INJURY TO ALL.

300 days of struggle. And the ‘best’ offer the Debenhams workers have received, is money to go back to school, to retrain. Many of these mostly women workers are in their 40’s 50’s and older. So what are they retraining for? The €3 million (between approx. 1200 of them!) would be better used if distributed among the workers who have been so shamefully let down. I spoke on this in Dáil.

It’s not a coincidence that the profession that has to fight consistently for fair pay and respect is a profession overwhelmingly made up of women. Nursing is one of the most important professions, and yet, they have rotten conditions, and pay. Student nurses are particularly exploited, receiving a pitiful 50euro a week for their placements, despite their intense work on the frontlines. They have contracted Covid in large numbers, due to the high-risk nature of the work. And they still are expected to do it for free. This has to end now.

KPMG ARE LYING AGAIN!
As part of a mediation process, workers in very good faith commited to easing up the pickets while talks are taking place.
KPMG on their part committed to not removing stock while these talks are ongoing.
But they have removed stock from stores at Mahon Point in Cork, from Newbridge, from Tallaght, and yesterday, packers from KPMG were stacking up the stock in Henry Street.
This is an appalling act of bad faith.
Will the Taoiseach intervene and ensure that KPMG hold their side of the bargain??