Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I must leave for a Topical Issue debate in a few moments, so I might speak first. The Minister of State's criticism of the Sinn Féin Bill in the first part of his statement has me confused. My understanding of Deputy Cullinane's Bill is that if a worker works an increased number of hours, the Bill provides in legislation that the worker may request his or her contract to reflect those additional hours. However, the Minister of State seemed to say that an employee can just rock up to an employer and make that request without having worked the additional hours. That has me and probably other members confused. Will the Minister of State clarify?

My second question relates to the reference period of 18 months vis-à-vissix months. I put this question to Deputy Cullinane, who appeared at the meeting before the Minister of State as the sponsor of the Sinn Féin Bill. What of the normal business cycle? Businesses prepare their accounts on an annual basis and most budgeting runs on a 12-month cycle, not necessarily the calendar year. Businesses prepare their accounts based on a certain year end, which could be at any point in the calendar year, so their accounting years do not need to run from 1 January to 31 December. Will the Minister of State clarify his criticism of the Sinn Féin Bill? He cited an employer with 100 hours of work to give to five employees at 20 hours apiece and the employees seek to increase that by five hours. It does not seem to make sense.