Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I know that Deputy Murphy has a particular worldview. Regardless of what the CSO might say about the increase in full-time work, the increase in employment generally and the falling numbers of those in underemployment, all of which are welcome, he would always beg to differ with the view of the CSO and the Government.

There is of course a challenge for the economy, the Government and employers to ensure that the jobs we are creating are good decent sustainable jobs that reward people appropriately and have strong terms and conditions. We have introduced a suite of reforms in the industrial relations landscape and in employment rights. This has been done by the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and by me in recent years. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, introduced legislation to replace the joint labour committee system which fell in the courts some years ago. In October I signed into law employment regulation orders applying to the contract cleaning and security industries. These brought forward in law new minimum rates of pay for those working in those industries. It has resulted in 55,000 people with better protection and terms and conditions.

When we analyse the performance of the economy and the type of jobs that are being created, we should not necessarily look at one area in particular. The broad range of employment protection legislation, the increases to the minimum wage and new arrangements are all positive.

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