Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand that the four-day working week is being considered by the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. That responsibility would have been our predecessor committee's, but responsibility has been transferred to the Tánaiste's Department.

Are we happy enough to proceed along these lines? To address Deputy Paul Donnelly's points, because we are now in a level 5 lockdown, we should not restrict our request for submissions regarding any topic to any group. While we will actively seek submissions on broadband and mobile phones from the Department's task force and Telecommunications Industry Ireland, we should also put a notice on our website and have a specific press release issued stating that we are seeking submissions from the public in respect of all of these issues. Regarding fortnightly payments, we can seek specific submissions from groups but we should not exclude anyone. There are many people, including retirees, who have time on their hands and may have constructive inputs to make. They could be at the coalface. As I stated at our initial meeting, we have a responsibility to get the views of people who are directly impacted by decisions and let them feed into them.

There may be members of the public who have very strong views on these fortnightly payments. It would be useful to hear their perspective on this also. We will actively seek submissions from various organisations. All requests that we make for submissions should be published on the committee's webpage and a public notice should be issued to enable members of the public to make submissions on any such submissions, unless the committee decides otherwise with regard to some particular submission we are seeking in the future. Is that agreed? Agreed.

As there are no other matters arising, I thank members for their positive contributions. The secretariat will take note of the useful suggestions made today and I will liaise directly with the clerk to the committee to ensure those suggestions are incorporated in our work programme going forward.

The select committee is scheduled to meet this day week, Wednesday, 11 November, to consider the Revised Estimate for the Department of Social Protection. I understand it will be referred to us this afternoon. I hope we will receive a briefing from the Department before the weekend so that members can consider it over the weekend.