Ahern denies link between pay rise and industrial strife

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has invoked Jim Larkin and the 1913 lock-out to defend his recent €38,000 pay rise.

During leaders' questions in the Dáil on rising trade union discontent, Mr Ahern dismissed an assertion by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore that the unusual increase in disputes was linked to the "public's perception that the Government is feathering its own nest with the pay increases it awarded itself".

Mr Ahern believed "the rule the trade union movement fought for in 1913 and has stood by since, as the deputy will be aware, is that when an independent body makes a decision on an increase, the government of the day should pay it".

The Labour leader had expressed concern about the growing number of disputes in the last few weeks, including the threat of ESB power cuts.

Mr Gilmore said both unions and management in the ESB were concerned about the Government's plans for the future of the state power company.

The Taoiseach indicated that decisions on the ESB were some time off.

The Labour leader suggested the deteriorating industrial relations climate and "the timing of the recent spate of disputes which are more frequent than we have experienced in recent years is not unconnected to the public's perception that the Government has been looking after itself".

The Taoiseach said that "in some ways" he wished Mr Gilmore was right about recent disputes.

"Unfortunately, some of them are so like long-playing records that they would not work on the modern technology."

Concerning the ESB dispute, Mr Ahern said efforts were being made to avert a strike.

He also said that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan, was keeping a close eye on the situation.