John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position in relation to transferring the responsibility for the provision of sick pay from the State to employers for the first two to four weeks of illness; if she intends bringing forward accompanying legislation to require employers to pay full sick leave to employees; if she has had any consultations with employers groups IBEC or ISME regarding the implications of this proposal; her views on whether this would widen the gap between the public and private sectors in terms of job security; if she has reached any conclusions on the way they might adequately manage the levels of absenteeism which exists in Government Departments; if she will acknowledge that moving the responsibility of the provision of sick pay entitlements to employers would affect the private sector placing an additional unsupportable burden on many employers who are already struggling in the current economic climate; if she is considering a State sponsored insurance scheme that could mitigate the burden for smaller firms; if she will now acknowledge that this proposal may in fact make Ireland less competitive internationally at a time when we should be promoting markets, creating opportunities for businesses to grow and create sustainable employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44934/12]

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