Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It should not have been ruled out of order.

I refer to illness benefit. I am a former employer and had a number of staff working for me. It is wrong to increase the number of days from three to six. That will put awful pressure on small businesses. We will have a situation where workers will come to work sick because they will not want to lose pay. They have paid PSRI and their contributions. It might be a small amount of money but it will have a huge affect on families struggling to survive. Pressure will be put on employers because the employees will say they want to be paid and that there are other companies which probably will pay them. There are employers who are struggling to survive and to pay rates, tax and insurance and this is another pressure on small business. Will the Minister review that in the context of this Bill?

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