Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There were two issues there. Deputies O'Reilly and Ó Ríordáin raised the issue of medical care and GP costs. That is a public health discussion.

There are targets set and commitments made by the Government. I am sure that others will also make commitments to be able to reduce the cost of attending a GP and to reach those people who are vulnerable or on low pay. That is one part of it. We will see steady series of improvements that will reduce the costs for the low paid or those who have difficulty accessing GPs. That is one aspect.

What we are trying to achieve here is a minimum-rate entitlement. It is also to ensure that all workers receive a reasonable level of financial compensation. We are trying to get the approach right in order that we are supporting both the worker - that is, the employee - and the employer, get the balance right and recognise the cost base and the pressures people are under as we bring this scheme in.

There was mention of what is happening in other EU countries. In most EU countries, the replacement rate for an employee who avails of paid sick leave is set at a percentage of the employees normal wage. It is quite common to have a percentage. It is not the norm that it is 100% everywhere. We need to bear in mind not only what is happening across Europe where these schemes work and work well but also the position in the countries that we compete with when it comes to job creation and business. The range is from 25% at the lower end to 100% in some instances. The figure of 70% is in line with many European states, including the Netherlands, Croatia, Bulgaria and Estonia, and is greater than that offered in, say, Spain, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In the UK, the amount is £96 or £97 a week.