David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I welcome everybody to the meeting. This is a very interesting conversation. I ask Mr. Redmond about the following from Mr. McDonnell's written submission:

We must also recognise that it has become government policy in recent years to pass more of the burden of the “social wage” to employers via the higher minimum wage, domestic violence leave, statutory sick pay, etc. This process will continue with the introduction of pensions auto enrolment.

Many of those issues have been discussed in this committee and they are all positive. Most people think they are positive for workers and society generally, but they impose an extra cost on businesses. Has the ESRI carried out, or does it plan to carry out, any study on the costs the changes have imposed on the businesses and sectors involved?