Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking in support of CRSS. Whether the scheme this is an advance tax credit or a grant, it represents a transfer of wealth from taxpayers to business. If that is to be agreed, there is a strong case for attaching conditions to it. It seems to me that the Minister is not opposed, in principle, to the idea of attaching conditions because the State is attaching a condition for a company to be eligible for CRSS. The principle the State is attaching - and it is correct that it does so - is that the company in question is tax compliant.

Amendment No. 43 seeks to attach a number of other conditions that would advance the interests of workers' rights. To be blunt, it effectively proposes to use the CRSS, not merely as a way to keep businesses open and to defend jobs, but also as a lever with which to improve workers' rights. If significant sums are to be transferred from the taxpayer to business, that is something that could, and should be, done. The amendment makes specific reference to four issues relating to workers' rights. First, should the employees of the company wish to be recognised by a trade union organisation, the employer would recognise and concede that right to them as a condition for getting the grants. Should companies that are anti-trade union and that will refuse their employees the right to join a trade union of their choice be eligible under the CRSS? We are saying they should not and that trade union recognition should be a condition for it and in that way the CRSS would be used as a lever to improve the rights of workers. The second issue is that the employers should operate a sick leave scheme. That is just a basic point and there is no need for serious argumentation on that. Third is the question of a pension scheme and fourth is the issue of the payment of a living wage to the company's employees. The Minister highlighted the fact that there is not a specific figure mentioned for that. What we mean when we put that forward is that the official living wage that is published each year would be the figure and the minimum rate that would need to be paid to successfully apply for the CRSS.

If the Minister wants greater clarification for that, we can specify that it is €12.30 for the 2021 and it would rise in line with the recommendations of the group that puts the official figure forward for the living wage. We are happy to accept an amendment on that.

In conclusion, amendment No. 43 seeks to use the CRSS as a lever to improve workers’ rights. We are not talking about major advances for workers here. These are all basic issues that could and should be the case in all employment. If there is to be a transfer of wealth from the taxpayer to business in the form of the CRSS then these are basic policies that should form the conditions for it.