Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

Part 2 of the Bill provides for the establishing of the National Employment Rights Authority. That was the Part of the Bill that was published and presented to the House on 13 March 2008. It is complex legislation. We live in an era where social partnership is the bedrock within which much of the discussions take place. There were further discussions in that context in the interim agreement agreed last week between the social partners.

We present a Bill to the House. It is discussed not only by the social partners but by all Members. There will be an opportunity to discuss it on Committee Stage. We want to ensure that when the Bill is enacted it reflects what is required in the context of employment law compliance. It is a complex Bill and there are no quick fix solutions. There has been ongoing involvement, due to the discussions and changes in the context of the social partnership talks that took place recently. For that reason the Bill as presented, in certain areas, needs further changes. I am quite sure that when the Bill is presented and goes through the House it will have the support of all sides. I look forward to a fruitful discussion with Deputies opposite, who I know are very supportive of social partnership and what we were trying to achieve in the context of the challenges ahead. Deputy Varadkar is a wholehearted supporter of that process.

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