Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In common with most others, I compliment and commend the Minister of State and his Department on the introduction of this Bill and, in particular, the fact the Minister of State did so within the timeframe he outlined to the House which, given the nature of politics, is not always possible.

This legislation is historic in that those men and women who participated in the Dublin Lock-out in 1913 could only have dreamed of this type of legislation or that legislators would legislate for this type of protection for those who are paid the least. I may be incorrect but it is interesting that the first mention of a minimum wage in an Irish context within the labour-trade union movement dates back to 1924. We have had to wait from the time of the men and women of 1924 until now for this legislation. Those of us who are a long-standing members of the labour movement will take what we can get in terms of legislation.

No legislation is perfect. I listened to the critique of some of the speakers who spoke at the start of debate, not that I would give any great credit to their relationship with the labour or trade union movement. I thought at one stage the Minister of State must have felt he was being attacked by a dead goldfish such was the nature of the critique. It was utter opportunism and begrudging comments were made about legislation which I am prepared to acknowledge is not perfect but it is a start of something which low-paid working people can only welcome and it is up to us, as legislators, and up to the trade union movement to make it stronger. That is the important point. The fact that it exists and that we have had to wait 102 years for legislation that can protect the lowest paid in our society must be welcomed.

There is a myth abroad that during what were popularly known as the Celtic tiger years when we went through a period of what some people describe as full employment, of which I am all in favour, that everyone working was on Celtic tiger wages, driving 4X4s and having 16 holidays a year. That is the greatest load of nonsense in respect of everyone who participated during those years of so-called full employment. Thousands upon thousands of people, particularly women, were on very poor wages and the reason for that is that legislation like this did not exist, which highlights the importance of this Bill. The importance and significance of it should not, in any way, be undermined. It is something we can improve on, which is the important point about it.

I welcome this Bill, or any legislation, which forms part of labour legislation to improve conditions, whether wages, working conditions or holiday entitlements - conditions that have improved during the period since Independence. I have never heard anyone argue that all the labour legislation, whether the legislation on equal pay for women in the 1970s, the Redundancy Payments Act, the Holidays (Employees) Act or the Unfair Dismissals Acts, has not improved and protected workers. I am not only referring to employers but some people, including some Members, give the impression that all this legislation somehow came through this roof at the generosity of the masters of industry and of the establishment in Ireland, but none of it did. All of it was fought for, including in this House and in the trade union movement. Every piece of labour legislation was fought for and, in this case, that fight continued for 102 years. That is part of the importance of this Bill to working men and women. I commend the Minister of State and repeat that it has been introduced within the timeframe he gave.

I welcome the Bill. Let us go forward to strengthen it.

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