Ms Reetta Suonperä:

On the EIIS, a definite re-brand is called for. Even though I am an economist who is familiar with the scheme, if I do not think about it for a day I forget what it stands for.

It does not convey that it is about investing in Irish SMEs.

On the sick certificates and sickness pay, it is quite important to note that introducing a sick pay scheme is not an incentive for the private sector to bring down its absenteeism levels. Our research shows that absenteeism levels in business are already quite low. Employers find different ways of managing it, through perhaps not giving sick pay for the first couple of days of sick leave where they have a sick pay scheme. That is to give a little context for the sick certificates debate.