Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When speaking on this legislation last night, I made two points. The first was that the welfare budget should protect the vulnerable but should also encourage people to return to employment. Many of the measures outlined by Deputy Naughten assisted people who employed people. Consequently, these measures helped to maintain and create jobs. One difficulty being experienced in Ireland at present is the reluctance of employers to take on new workers or any workers, due to the amount of regulation and the charges being imposed upon them.

During the past few years many provisions have been eroded. For example, redundancy payments have been cut in the past few budgets. Reference was also made to sick pay. I do not necessarily disagree with the sick pay concept. Each company should manage its own sick pay but the same principle should apply to the State. We want there to be measures whereby those in the public sector are subject to the same criteria.

I note that the Minister's party prior to the last election gave a commitment that 12 months after each item of legislation was passed it would be reviewed, whether by the Dáil, a committee or otherwise. The amendment we put forward proposes a measure along those lines; it is a safety value mechanism. It is a progressive idea. The Government should be open to it and should accept not only the letter of it, but the spirit of it. If errors are made in legislation, we should be prepared to correct them. Section 10 could have grave social unintended consequences due to the measures outlined in it.

I have listened to Ministers down the years come in here and outline the thrust and intention of an amendment and what it will achieve, but very often it does not achieve that. It is visible early on that it will not achieve that, but no change is made to it because there is a reluctance to admit that it was wrong or to amend it. This is a mechanism that is in everybody's interest. I strongly urge the Minister of State, now that he is holding the reins for the next few minutes, to show innovation and independent thinking and accept this amendment. It will not pose any charge on the Exchequer and has no downside. Therefore, let us put of new politics into practice.

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