Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Bill deals with the prohibition of the penalisation of employees. This relates to whistle-blowing and so on. We wanted it to be quite clear that we would not allow an employer to use penalties and that if he or she did so, there would be a process by which the employee could pursue him or her. The most effective way of doing this is via the rights commissioner, as Deputy Quinn has proposed. Working with the social partners for some time, there is a general move towards endeavouring to resolve these issues outside court. If this can be achieved, it should be. To be fair, Deputy Quinn's amendment is wider in so far as it more or less states any dispute between an employer and an employee may be referred to the rights commissioner. It would have wider implications.

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