Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will go back to the substantive point to which I do not think anybody here would object, that is, the rationale for a statutory sick pay scheme across the board. I have concerns around competitiveness. We have to remember that we an export-led economy and that feeds into the more indigenous economic rationale.

The issue of insurance has been discussed. Has anybody looked at funding a statutory sick pay scheme for smaller businesses through private insurance and how that would work? There is a disparity between what happens in the public and private sectors. If we are going to adopt a public sector model in the private sector, we have to recognise where relative costs and benefits arise, which I do not think we have done. Perhaps the congress has a view on this. What would a social insurance cost look like in terms of providing the statutory sick pay scheme for which the congress is advocating?