Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht a chur i láthair. I thank the Minister of State for the presentation. The CSO indicated recently that about 106,000 people were what was termed "under-employed".

These are people who work for a few hours a week, but want to work full-time. We know that life can be very difficult for them. Making ends meet is tough because they work so few hours. We also know that, in many cases, these contracts make it very difficult for families to plan and deliver normal family experiences such as child care and holidays. We know that most employers are decent, but there are some unscrupulous employers that have used low-hour and zero-hour contracts not just for the purpose of flexibility but for leverage in terms of how they want workers to behave and so on.

The economy has evolved in this direction over the past number of years. We need to make sure that we give people the right to be flexible when necessary for their own lives, but also that they have decent contracts. Over a year ago I banged the table and asked the Minister of State to seek from the CSO information about the prevalence of low-hour contracts within the economy. It was information I felt could be gathered immediately. A request to collect such information would not necessarily be a policy direction in any way. Rather, it was to be a neutral measurement facility that would allow for greater knowledge in the long run.

The major problem I have is the urgency of this issue. Workers such as those employed by Dunnes Stores have had a very difficult time. My worry is that although the Minister of State has compiled a report, a lot of its recommendations were delivered to him in advance of the report. Much of the information about the economy was also available. I produced the Banded Hours Contract Bill 2015, which allowed for staff members, in conjunction with employers, to migrate between bands of hours that they could work. Now, four or eight weeks away from an election and the end of the Dáil, we have a report. With the best will in the world, workers cannot eat that report. While it is hoped the report will cover the future direction of the next Government, it will not make a significant difference to the lives of current workers.

The Minister of State has a limited amount of time left. Out of all of the recommendations, what can he implement before his Ard-Fheis on 30 January? I refer to the recording of the necessary information by the CSO. Is legislation necessary for every element? Can any statutory powers be used by a Minister? I have always used the phrase "urgent" in regard to this issue. I would like the Minister for State to show some urgency with regard to some of the recommendations.