Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Bill. I was a Member of the Seanad when Senator Feargal Quinn introduced it. The manner in which he introduced it and brought it to this point is an example of how politics should be conducted. When the Bill reaches Committee Stage, I hope the Minister will accept amendments, from either side of the House, in a generous fashion. It reflects a bipartisan way of implementing important legislation. I would like to see that spirit maintained throughout the entire passage of the Bill.

In the last number of months I have had extensive dealings with a family in my constituency who have been brought to the brink of personal ruin by the absence of legislation such as this. This is a vivid and human illustration for me of the huge damage done to families and our society when we do not have legislation to ensure an industry is conducted in the correct manner.

My third point on the industry is that it is vital that the construction sector redevelop and that it be kick-started. Those who talk about the future of the economy are sometimes guilty of imagining that we can have an economy that does not include a sizeable and growing construction sector. We must have it back again. It will not be at the level it was at in the past, but, equally, it will not stay as it is. We can get to a mid-point and the legislation will, I hope, create an environment within which that can happen.

The amendments the Minister of State indicated he would introduce are crucial in terms of implementation of the Bill. The first issue he highlighted is vital, namely, the need to examine, or perhaps remove altogether, the monetary thresholds contained in the Bill because the people of whom I am conscious in the debate are not the large players or the big companies which have the ability to hire people to represent them but those who do not have access to any of this – the small players who must be recognised by the Bill. The amendment the Minister of State seeks to introduce in this regard is crucial.

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