Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If two words could be used to describe the intention underlying this Sinn Féin Private Members' motion, they would be "fairness" and "decency". Low paid precarious work is one of the worst enemies that a worker can face. Workers are at their most vulnerable when they have to live from week to week, not knowing what kind of hours he or she will be given, or how much he or she will receive in the next pay package. Without access to secure working conditions many workers are faced with the possibility of not being able to pay their mortgage or rent, their household bills, or pay for their children's schoolbooks.

Sinn Féin believes that it is the role of Government to take action to make the lives of workers in this situation better. The growth of precarious work is a product of the tension and competition between on the one hand, demands from employers for more flexibility and on the other hand, calls for greater security and protection for workers. The Government needs to tackle the issue of low pay, not just for the benefit of workers but also for the benefit of society as a whole. Money into the pockets of the lowest paid will quickly find its way back into the local economy. This will be money that will be spent in our local shops, helping to employ others. Low pay also places a burden on the State in terms of family income supplement and other measures used to offset the crippling effects of low pay.

Low pay and precarious hours often affect young people the most. As they are new to the working environment they do not enjoy many of the benefits that the older generation fought for and won. This often amounts to the exploitation of young people as the economic situation means that they have very little choice but to take whatever work is offered to them. Last night the visa application process for Canada was opened and within 12 minutes all 3,850 visas available were gone. That indicates the level of demand from young people to go to countries where wages are higher and opportunities more plentiful and where there is decency and fairness. Do these young people and their families see the economic improvements being trumpeted by the Government? They most assuredly do not.

Ireland is a high cost and low pay society. When the purchasing power of Irish workers is accounted for, Ireland falls 13% below the EU15 average.

Nearly 350,000, or 19.2% of the workforce, suffer multiple deprivations.

Ireland is one of only two EU countries that do not recognise collective bargaining. Since the foundation of the State, successive governments have failed to introduce statutory collective bargaining. That ensures that organised labour, especially in the low-paid sector, do not have adequate means to push for better pay and conditions. It is shocking that at a time when the Labour Party is in government, a party that claims its heritage from the likes of James Connolly, no legislation has been introduced on collective bargaining.

Commentators argue that there must be a balance between the needs of workers and those of employers, but workers should be entitled to the basic knowledge of how many hours work they will get and how much they will be paid. Currently, the power lies completely in the hands of the employer, who is able to force workers to accept the conditions they set out. Dunnes Stores has been a perfect example of that. It let go workers who took part in recent strike action. That is a disgraceful state of affairs which cannot be allowed to continue. We cannot stand back while employers punish already punished workers because they had the temerity to take a stand and to rally for their rights. That is disgraceful and should not be permitted. The Government should intervene in the matter.

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