Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

I support the Bill and call on the Government to accept it and allow it to proceed to Committee Stage in order that amendments can be dealt with. Everybody acknowledges the Bill needs to be significantly amended to make it fit for purpose. We need to make the Bill into one that will protect the lowest paid workers in our economy.

I find it interesting that we are debating this Bill a week after the Taoiseach refused to comment when asked a direct question on why he breached his pay guidelines on appointing Government advisers when he appointed two advisers on a salary of more than €168,000 per year. He said in the House that no Government advisers would be appointed on salaries above €92,000 a year. A week later the Government is considering introducing legislation to allow employers to reduce the salaries of people who are earning, on average, €9.66 an hour. It shows the commitment of the Government and, sadly, the Labour Party to low paid workers when they participate in the system and allow the regime to continue.

It has been reported in newspapers that in a survey carried out by IBEC 90% of workers go beyond the terms of their contracts in showing their commitment to the companies with which they are involved. However, we still hear employers calling for the wages of the lowest paid workers to be reduced. Despite more than 90% of workers going further to ensure their employers can benefit, their jobs are safe and they can provide a service, employers are still calling for their wages to be cut.

The Sunday premium has to be retained. In his contribution the Minister described how things have changed, including working on Sundays. However, Sundays are still the only time families have to spend time together as children are in school from Monday to Friday. Sunday time is family time and any workers who have to give it up should be adequately compensated and receive a premium for it. Most of us in the House have the luxury of being able to choose not to work on Sundays. Most low-paid workers do not have that luxury. They have families that will lose out in terms of time spent with a parent or a loved one while they are at work. The premium should be retained in all forms and strengthened in any legislation passed by the Government.

I am concerned about the commitment of the Government to low-paid workers which is why I call for the Bill to be allowed to proceed to Committee Stage and passed. When the judgment was issued in July the Government said it would examine it and introduce legislation as a matter of urgency. The Minister said today, "It is the Minister's intention to have a Bill ready to introduce to the Oireachtas at the earliest possible opportunity in the next term ... The necessary legislation will be introduced in the current session."

Based on that statement we do not know when the legislation will be introduced. It could be Easter next year. That is not reacting in the quickest possible terms to the judgment in July. It is not putting the rights and entitlements of workers at the highest level. The Bill should proceed to Committee Stage. We should amend it to make sure it is fit for purpose.

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