Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

These amendments relate to one of the issues to which I referred at the outset. Some of the amendments we tabled in respect of this matter have been ruled out of order. There is no doubt that the Bill creates a loophole and that this will grow in the future. If the Government is seeking a growth area, then it has found one because the loophole will give a competitive advantage to businesses which use the workers to which it relates. The existence of this advantage will incentivise the use of the loophole to which I refer in the future. The loophole has the effect of undermining all the other works for which the legislation makes provision. How many people are employed by the State under conditions such as those outlined in the section? What is the cost to the State of paying their wages? I am just trying to obtain an understanding of why this loophole is so attractive to the Government.

See this speech in context