Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

"noting:

- that this Government reversed the recent cut in the national minimum wage within its first three months in office;

- that the restoration of the national minimum wage is the result of negotiations by the new Government with the EU-IMF, because it is committed to a fairer approach to solving our country's difficulties;

- the commitment in the Programme for Government, and in the revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with our external partners in the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF, to reform the existing Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system;

- that the Report of Independent Review of Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreement Wage Settling Mechanisms by Mr. Kevin Duffy and Dr. Frank Walsh recommends a 'radical overhaul' of the system to make it 'fairer and more responsive to changing economic circumstances and labour market conditions';

- that this Government will continue to support fair terms and conditions for the lowest paid workers, in the context of more modern, flexible wage-settling mechanisms;

- the huge competitive pressures and the catastrophic collapse of employment in many businesses in the sectors affected; and

- the opportunity for employment creation in the sectors affected, particularly in the labour intensive tourism area;

endorses the need for reform of the JLC and Registered Employment Agreement (REA) systems;

endorses the process of consultations undertaken with the social partners; and

supports the introduction of a balanced set of reforms at an early date."

I propose to share time with Deputies Colm Keaveney, John Paul Phelan and the Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock.

See this speech in context