Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Ireland has participated in recent years in discussions in international organisations, such as the International Labour Organisation, to clarify employment relationships in a rapidly changing and mobile world. These discussions have focused on difficulties in identifying employers in certain circumstances and in addressing so-called triangular relationships, involving an employee, an agency and an end-user company.

While Irish legislation tries to reflect and deal with current realities, there is always a need to step back and consider if improvements are possible without becoming so rigidly bureaucratic as to damage employment prospects, especially for those attempting to get into employment for the first time or after a period out of the labour market.

I make no apology for stating that this debate is in the context of both employment policy and employment creation policy and there must be balance in respect of how to make progress on this issue. Members should not become overly complacent in respect of employment creation in the economy. While we have enjoyed a great decade during which our employment creation record was superior to that of almost all our European counterparts, that is no reason to set everything aside as we contemplate new policies and approaches and deal with new challenges. There must be a balance of approach when trying to get it right. That is the point outlined by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Billy Kelleher. It is about the balance and how we approach——

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