Alan Dillon

For workers, we want to ensure it means better fairness, their voice is being heard, but also better security.

And through the practical actions that we have implemented, from better research to capacity building, and also modernising our existing industrial dispute machinery through the Work Relations Commission and the Labour Court.

Well, this is very much part of this strategy, and we do need to take a closer look in regards to this.

And workers should always have the right to representation, and employers should have clear channels for engagement.

And I suppose this isn't about imposing unions.

It's about empowering dialogue, because when workers and employers talk, everyone wins.

And this plan supports fair dialogue in whatever form that that takes.

But Minister, can I ask?

No, it won't.

And I suppose Ireland's tradition of volunteers has been to the core of our representation.

And this means that no one is forced into union membership or agreements.

And as I said earlier, this isn't about imposing unions.

This is about having an action plan that can move the dial in regards to how we work closer together.

And this has been formed with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

They have been very much to the fore of this, along with IBEC.

And indeed, government's role is to ensure that we support both sides and make it easier.

And I think this action plan is very much an Irish solution to an Irish challenge today.

built with social partners and indeed taking best practices from Europe and that will build on our own system of voluntary industrial relations and I think this will result in protections for Irish competitiveness while strengthening fairness across the board.

Well, certainly the place of work has changed dramatically.

So in terms of the WRC or the Labour Court, there is an investment plan that will be required in terms of digitalisation, and that is very much part of this strategy.