Ahern dismisses fares move ‘as not very bright’

INDUSTRIAL action and the ongoing confrontation with workers in semi-state companies are unnecessary, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday as tensions mounted between the Government and unions.

Describing the CIÉ unions no fares day as not very bright, Mr Ahern said the protest was a breach of the partnership agreement.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy warned public sector unions that benchmarking payments would only be paid if there was industrial harmony and delivery on improvements in services.

“Industrial action frustrates the delivery of public services and harms taxpayers. The Government has placed an emphasis on ensuring that there is no industrial action in the lifetime of this agreement,” he said.

“Whatever about the difficulty in measuring the achievement of modernisation targets, there is no difficulty in establishing whether or not a no-industrial-action target has been met.”

Speaking at a meeting of the social partners in Dublin Castle, Mr Ahern said he saw no need for the industrial relations confrontation as a result of the Government’s plans for the commercial semi-state sector.

The free fares day will damage the financial health of the critically important State companies, he said. The Government’s policy in the area is to build on the existing agreement about the need for change and to seek to agree on bringing about necessary changes, Mr Ahern said.

“Industrial action and the threat of conflict are signs of weakness not strength, from that perspective, I hope that we will not see any repeat of today’s regrettable action,” he said.

Tánaiste Mary Harney conceded it was time to face facts as the country had lost some ground and lost competitiveness.

Companies here were trying to sell good and services internationally at higher prices than our customers need to pay and this won’t work, she said.

“No one owes us a job. No international customer is obliged to pay higher prices for Irish goods and services.

“No one is obliged to invest in Ireland. No one is obliged to stay here.

“Our customers can go elsewhere. And they do,” she said.