Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is fortunate that I came in at this particular time. I did not intend to come in until we considered section 23 later in the debate. The Minister suggested in his most recent intervention that he will select or recommend one of the reports. I come from a part of the country that has a very high rate of unemployment and where many people depend on part-time work in the fisheries, agriculture and hospitality sectors. As the Minister will be well aware, the legislation that is in place at present acts as a disincentive to those people to go to work. The Minister knows how I feel about the grossly unfair daily payment of €12.70 and the requirement to have 39 contributions. When I discussed this with my party spokesperson, we were aware that there could be a charge on the Exchequer. I would nearly offer to pay the cost of having this report carried out myself. There is no real charge on the Exchequer. We will seek to address this in subsection (7) of amendment No. 32. I hope to discuss this later. I put it to the Minister that he is pre-empting the debate on later sections of the Bill by saying he is recommending one amendment now. I ask the Minister and the other members of the committee not to decide now that a report should not be carried out in respect of this extremely serious issue. I do not think the cost of such a report would be very much, regardless of whether it were drawn up by his officials or by an independent body. It is well worth doing. I implore the Minister and the other members of the committee to support our later amendment in this regard when it is reached.