Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

One of the purposes of reintroducing sectoral employment orders is to ensure fair and competitive but decent rates of pay in sectors of our economy which, many would argue, are entitled to higher rates of pay reflecting the skills and experience of the workers. It will be fundamental to the work of the Labour Court and the parties to consider all of these points. This is reflected in the criteria we have set out in the principles the court and parties must take into account in developing an initiative under the legislation and in requesting that an order be made by the Minister.

Section 15 of the Bill sets out what are very comprehensive and challenging sets of factors the court must take into account when making a recommendation to the Minister in respect of a sectoral employment order. Amendment No. 9 would add two further factors the court would be required to take into account. I have given significant consideration to these criteria with Government colleagues in drafting the Bill and I do not consider it necessary to specifically refer to median earnings changes or proportions above or below particular proportions of median earnings, particularly where one of the criteria specifically requires the court to look at the general level of remuneration in other sectors where similar workers are employed and where the court in making a recommendation must be of the view the recommendation is reasonably necessary to ensure what are described as fair and sustainable rates of remuneration in the sector concerned. I am confident this issue has been adequately addressed in the legislation.

The suggestion about the pervasiveness of part-time and-or short hour contracts is part of the wider decency at work agenda I am pursuing, including the study being carried out by the University of Limerick into the extent and prevalence of zero and low-hour contracts in this country. As I have said in the House and elsewhere, if some adjustments are required to enhance the protections already in place under Irish employment for people in these circumstances these will be brought forward by me for consideration by the Government. Accordingly, I cannot accept the amendment.

See this speech in context