Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I understand the point being made by Deputy Howlin but as I said on Committee Stage, there is in this Bill and also in the 1993 Regulations a certain emphasis on the welfare of workers besides their health and safety. While health and safety are the principal underlying reasons for this Bill, under the 1993 regulations there is provision for rest-room sanitary equipment, changing rooms and showers and so on, in some work places. There are welfare elements in the legislation which should not be lost sight of. To some extent it is true that the health and safety elements are the very important and central elements of the Bill. However with a more modern view of the rights of employees that pertain today, the benefit of having welfare included in the Titles— and I accept the point made by Deputy Howlin about the Short and Long Titles— considerably outweigh the disadvantages.

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