David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A number of reasons have been mentioned by ISME, the first being the extra cost. It has been said that if somebody does a job and an older person does the same job, then the productivity is equal and they should be paid the same. That argument has been made and I do not see why it should not be the case. They have the same productivity and make the same profit for the company.

The next issue is to do with training. It is said that young people often do not have the training required. We have a National Training Fund. We have a wage subsidy scheme for people with disabilities who do not have the same level of productivity. With respect to training costs, has consideration been given to using the National Training Fund to top up where productivity is not on a par? Where a younger person coming in does not have the same experience, the productivity is less and training is required by the employer, could the National Training Fund be used to make up the difference, like with the wage subsidy scheme? Will Mr. Caffrey comment on that idea? It has been put to me by workers and employers because the National Training Fund is hugely in surplus at the moment.