Paul Murphy criticises Oireachtas Commission over workers' limbo
Paul Murphy criticised the House of the Oireachtas Commission's handling of a contractor tender and the treatment of Oireachtas workers. He described the Commission's response as very disappointing and said workers were left in limbo over Christmas while engagement with a current contractor proceeded without consulting staff.
Complaint about Commission response
Paul Murphy said the Commission's reply was "very, very disappointing" and that it sent a poor message to the country about how workers in the Oireachtas are treated. He highlighted that workers had been left in an "awful limbo situation over Christmas" and that concerns about their treatment by PIE had been repeatedly raised.
Tender process and contractor engagement
The House of the Oireachtas Commission issued a call for tender that closed on the 10th of October and reportedly received no replies. On the final day of the Dáil members received correspondence dated the day before stating the Commission was actively engaging with the current contractor, but that engagement was not concluded at the time of the correspondence.
Workers' demands and contractual standards
Murphy said workers had been seeking direct engagement with the Commission to argue for direct employment in the first instance. He also said workers wanted the Commission to make industry standards and rates a condition of any tender, which he said was not currently the case.
Concerns about public spending and process
He expressed concern about the spending of public money and the way the procurement process had been handled. Murphy described the overall process as disappointing from a workers' rights perspective and problematic in terms of procurement governance.
Next steps called for
Paul Murphy urged that the Dáil write to the Commission to seek further information and clarity on the process and engagements with the contractor. He closed by thanking the Chair and pressing for more transparency and direct engagement with staff.
Complaint about Commission response
Paul Murphy said the Commission's reply was "very, very disappointing" and that it sent a poor message to the country about how workers in the Oireachtas are treated. He highlighted that workers had been left in an "awful limbo situation over Christmas" and that concerns about their treatment by PIE had been repeatedly raised.
Tender process and contractor engagement
The House of the Oireachtas Commission issued a call for tender that closed on the 10th of October and reportedly received no replies. On the final day of the Dáil members received correspondence dated the day before stating the Commission was actively engaging with the current contractor, but that engagement was not concluded at the time of the correspondence.
Workers' demands and contractual standards
Murphy said workers had been seeking direct engagement with the Commission to argue for direct employment in the first instance. He also said workers wanted the Commission to make industry standards and rates a condition of any tender, which he said was not currently the case.
Concerns about public spending and process
He expressed concern about the spending of public money and the way the procurement process had been handled. Murphy described the overall process as disappointing from a workers' rights perspective and problematic in terms of procurement governance.
Next steps called for
Paul Murphy urged that the Dáil write to the Commission to seek further information and clarity on the process and engagements with the contractor. He closed by thanking the Chair and pressing for more transparency and direct engagement with staff.
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Transcript
Thanks a lot, Chair, and I agree with the process outlined. Yeah, I just think this is a very, very disappointing response by the House of the Oireachtas Commission. I think it sends a very poor message out to the country that we have workers in the Oireachtas treated in this way, left in an awful limbo situation over Christmas, and whereby issues have been repeatedly raised about the treatment of these workers by PIE. The House of the Oireachtas Commission had called for tender, nobody replied, that closed on the 10th of October, and yet we're in a situation on the final day of the Dáil where we get correspondence from the day before saying that they're actively engaging with the current contractor. So they're actively engaging with the current contractor, clearly that's not concluded, or certainly wasn't concluded yesterday at the time we received this correspondence, and yet there's been no engagement with the workers who have been crying out for a discussion with the Commission to make the case for direct employment in the first instance, or secondly, at least to make the case for that the House of the Oireachtas Commission should make a condition of the tender to have industry standards in terms of rates and so on, which is not currently the case. So I think it's very disappointing from a workers' rights perspective, but also from the point of view of the spending of public money and that the whole way this process has gone. So yeah, I think it's important that we write to them and seek information. Thanks, Chair. Thank you.