Mr. Vincent Jennings:

It is not our function as representatives of employers to bring about legislative change. That is what we allow the Oireachtas to do. We very much welcome the opportunity to consult and to be part of a stakeholders group in advance of legislation being considered and published. If there is a quantifiable number and it is found that there is nothing other than legislative action that should be taken, then a regulatory impact assessment would assist in doing that. The Department could then carry out a series of consultations to quantify the job involved. The University of Limerick study was lamentably light in providing evidence, even though it strayed well beyond its terms of reference. However, what is most certainly did was to state that there is not a problem but that there is this issue and it should be examined in another way. Why would the Department not home in on that, bring in the stakeholders, tell them these are the findings, having done an additional study, and ask them what are the solutions? We are not only employers but are mothers, fathers, grandfathers, uncles aunts and so on. We do not want to live in a society where there is a Victorian style of employer. It would not do any of us any good. The committee needs to quantify the issue and if there is a need then it should address it but it should be done by way of consultation.