Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We all agree there is a danger of dependency on illness benefit but the Minister is still dodging the question on the rate in the public sector by comparison with that in the private sector. Is the problem far greater in the former than in the latter? In asking this, I am not pitting one against the other but pointing to the nucleus of the problem.

The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, stated the proposal will not affect those businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Can the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation confirm this? While I know he cannot comment on budgetary proposals, it seems many of his colleagues around the table were commenting on another proposal from the Department of Social Protection, namely, that on child benefit. I ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to indicate that he, as Minister responsible for jobs and business, will fight for the interests of businesses against a Minister who clearly does not care about the business community.

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