Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the employment law compliance Bill. Like every Member of the House, I have mixed views on this legislation. I am taken by the last paragraph in the explanatory memorandum: "In summary, the Bill is intended to benefit low-paid and other vulnerable employees in particular, by securing vindication of their employment-related rights: this should have clear benefits in terms of alleviating poverty and preventing exploitation and distortion of competition from non-compliance with employment legislation, and generally improving relations in the workplace." This is all very noble but it is a total contradiction of the contents of the Bill. I support the reading of this Bill on Second Stage on the basis of two reasons. One, that it will be totally emasculated on Committee Stage——

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